monthly update on the international activities of the Dutch Water Sector
No.5 - January 2012
Content:
- Twice as much water export
- Maasvlakte 2: hard sea wall reaching mainland
- PWN Technologies to build its largest SIX/CeraMac plant
- Local enterprises hold key to low cost water supply in developing countries
- Ports must prepare for new era in shipping
- Arcadis to supervise construction of water supply network in Oman
- Interview – How two Dutch experts helped to combat the Bangkok floods
- Eco landscaping - Waterboxx greens Jordan’s desert areas
- Real-time water quality monitoring system in Bangkok
- Fugro GeoServices BV
1. From the editor
Twice as much water export
The Dutch government has launched a new export policy and the idea is that the water sector will double its export in the coming years.
A very challenging target, as like most sectors in Europe the water sector is hit hard by the financial crises. Nevertheless the companies remain remarkably optimistic and many are seeking new markets outside Europe.
Exported Dutch water products and services are known for the high standard of water treatment technology and the long term orientated water management. No easy products to sell in a fast expanding global market with many new customers that have no idea about their operational costs and go for the quick win of the lowest investment only.
We will keep you updated on how the challenge is met.
Enjoy this newsletter, Jac van Tuijn
2. News
Coastal project - Maasvlakte 2: hard sea wall reaching mainland
The huge land based crane, the Blockbuster, is constructing the hard sea wall that is to protect the north side of Maasvlakte 2, the land reclamation project for the expansion of Rotterdam harbor. The crane continues to work briskly on the block dam and is expected to reach the mainland in mid-February. In April 2012 PUMA – the joint venture involving Boskalis and Van Oord – will deliver the hard sea wall which is part of a 11 kilometers long new coastal defense structure.
The prestigious coastal project Maasvlakte 2 by the Rotterdam harbor is right on schedule.
>> read more
Pretreatment - PWN Technologies to build its largest SIX/CeraMac plant
PWN Technologies can start construction of the new innovative pretreatment plant for drinking water production in Andijk, the Netherlands. PWN Technologies developed a new process for the treatment of surface water and is based on suspended ion exchange (SIX) and ceramic membranes (CeraMac). Compared to traditional membrane treatment, this new process produces water of a better quality and at the same time consumes less energy (30%). By using a natural resin instead of ferric chloride sulfate, the environmental load is further reduced.
PWN Technologies is building a ceramic membrane demonstration plant for the Singapore water board PUB at the Choa Chu Kang plant.
>> read more
Study - Local enterprises hold key to low cost water supply in developing countries
To be able to upscale the low cost water supply in developing countries through so called non-piped interventions, it is important to raise awareness amongst potential consumers and to incubate a set of local enterprises that can copy the best local approaches, for instance the sale of water treatment devices, the servicing of a pumping place or a water kiosk. This is one of the main outcomes of the study ‘Access to safe water for the base of the pyramid’ done by the Dutch water aid foundation Aqua for All, the foundation BoP Innovation Center and the consultancy firm Hystra.
The study on alternative low cost water supplies in developing countries, started with the identification of some 140 projects across the world and the interviews with 110 entrepreneurs, development specialists and water experts.
>> read more
Key note - Ports must prepare for new era in shipping
Port and terminal operations face major challenges in both capacity and productivity during the next decade, APM Terminals vice president and chief financial officer Christian Moller Laursen has warned. With the prospect of global port container throughput doubling from its current 600 million container units (TEU), in 15 years, and aggressive investment in vessels with a capacity of over 10,000 containers, port and terminal operations face looming challenges in both capacity and productivity,
Laursen said the industry was entering a ‘new era in ports as he addressed the Port Finance International Conference in London on 17 November.
>> read more
Consultancy contract - Arcadis to supervise construction of water supply network in Oman
Engineering firm Arcadis announced that it won a large contract to provide consultancy and management services to oversee construction of a new water network for Oman’s Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). When complete, the network will bring clean water directly to the taps of hundreds of thousands of residents in the Al Sharqiyah region.
The project will eliminate the need to truck water from filling station outposts to residents, reducing PAEW’s carbon footprint as well as noise and traffic pollution.
>> read more
These news items are a selection of all items daily published on the website: www.dutchwatersector.com in December 2011.
3. Features
Interview – How two Dutch experts helped to combat the Bangkok floods
Two Dutch flood experts helped the Thai government in the Flood Relief Operations Center in Bangkok during the floods late October and early November. “Not re-active but pro-active, that’s the way we have assisted”, recall Adri Verwey and Tjitte Nauta of the research and specialist consultancy institute Deltares for coastal areas and river basins.
Initially the two Dutch flood experts were asked by chief of operations for evacuation and flood prevention. But as the flood crises intensified, their advisory role expanded to more ministries and other authorities.
>> read the interview with the two flood experts
Eco landscaping - Waterboxx greens Jordan’s desert areas
Jordanian non-governmental organisations and the Dutch-Jordanian company Desert Tulip started an initiative to plant more trees, bushes and vegetables in desert areas, using the Groasis Waterboxx.
In an interview with the Jordan Times, inventor of this ‘intelligent water battery’ Pieter Hoff explains the potential of his device in areas with insufficient rainfall by capture water from the air.
>> read the article in the Jordan Times
4. Project Focus – Thailand
Real-time water quality monitoring system in Bangkok
A consortium of Fugro, DHI and COWI developed the early warning system Metropole Watch for monitoring the water quality of the Chao Phraya river and the canal network of Bangkok, Thailand.
The system is operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and consists of twelve automatic real-time monitoring stations. The water quality information is also made available to the public through a website.
>> read more about this Dutch initiated water project.
5. Expert focus
Fugro GeoServices BV
Fugro is one of the biggest engineering companies in the Netherland, specialized in collection and interpretation of data relating to the earth's surface and sub-surface and for associated services and advice in support of infrastructure development on land, along the coast and on the seabed.
Fugro has over 13.500 employees and operates in 50 countries with clients in the field of oil & gas, mining, construction and water management. Fugro’s activities are organized in three divisions: Geotechnical, Survey and Geoscience.
>> read more about this this company and its sea and land survey activities
Big challenges need joint solutions - let's work together!
NWP © 2012 | info@dutchwatersector.com
This newsletter contains news items relating the Dutch water sector and has been sent to all subscribers by email on January 13, 2012.
Subscription
- Please click here to subscribe
- Please click here to unsubscribe.
Your email address has not been, and will not be, given to third parties.
