Customer stories
World's first: Jan De Nul Contributes to the Princess Elisabeth Island
2 min reading time
In the heart of one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, a unique project is about to start: the Princess Elisabeth Island. This artificial energy island in the Belgian North Sea will play a crucial role in the energy transition. This transition involves the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. And who better than the experts at Jan De Nul to ask to help build this world first?
The Princess Elisabeth Island is not just any project. With an area of 6 hectares and built from 23 gigantic caissons, this is a remarkable feat of engineering. Each caisson is a concrete colossus measuring 58 meters long, 28 meters wide, and 28 meters high, weighing no less than 20,000 tons. Jan De Nul, as a partner within TM EDISON, has taken on the challenging task of building these caissons in the port of Vlissingen. "The entire process for one caisson takes about 85 days," says Kristof Verhaeghe. "But thanks to our smart slide-through system, we can have five caissons in production simultaneously."
For this project, Jan De Nul was looking for a practical solution for a workspace that would withstand the harsh conditions in the Zeeland port. They chose the Workbox, our newest model of container shelter with a flat roof. This solution is ideal for port areas, where weather conditions are often severe with heavy rain and wind. Thanks to the flat roof, the Workbox blends better with the elements. Kristof explains: "We wanted to create a workplace where our people can work comfortably and sheltered, despite the harsh Zeeland weather conditions."
The standard Workbox of 4 by 6 meters was not large enough for the setup that Jan De Nul had in mind. They presented this issue to our sales department. The engineering department then calculated, designed, and investigated whether it was possible to create a Workbox of 6 by 6 meters that also met strict European standards and complied with EN13782 certification. This proved feasible.
The workspace was created by placing a custom-made Workbox and two containers diagonally. At the back is an open-side container, and on the right side is a straight-placed container. This setup results in three covered openings to the containers, providing better protection for work activities against rain and strong winds.
Are you also looking for a flexible solution for your project? Discover how we can support your workspace with reliable and safe solutions. Contact us for detailed technical specifications or request our construction book for more information. We are happy to assist you!