Innovation
Over the past decades, we developed a wide range of activities responding to actual challenges and anticipating the future ones. Despite their variety, our projects all have three things in common: an ambitious scale, a high level of complexity and precision, and high stakes. We are prepared to go far to realise even the most demanding projects. By coming up with ingenious engineering solutions, we prove that impossible doesn’t exist.
Groundbreaking projects
Ingenious engineering, what does that actually mean? No better way to tell you than with a selection of our projects. Why these ones are our favourites? Because we took them on from different angles, bringing together all of our knowledge.
Mangroves can store up to four times more carbon than tropical forest, but they are disappearing fast in Ecuador. That’s why we reused dredged material from Guayaquil’s port access channel to create a 50-hectare mangrove island. The AquaForest project also serves as a ‘Living Lab’ to demonstrate and study important mangrove ecosystem services. It is a blueprint for mangrove restoration worldwide.
Our Dredging Solutions, Construction Projects and Offshore Energy business units are joining forces to build the world’s first artificial energy island in the North Sea. It will bring electricity from Belgium’s wind farms to the mainland and the island will serve as a hub for connections with foreign high-voltage grids.
Next generation vessels and machines
State-of-the-art vessels
Our vessels are the clearest example of what our engineers are capable of. We are widely recognized for our Ultra-Low Emission vessel (ULEv) technology that filters out 99% of nanoparticles from our engines. Our latest cable-laying vessels will be equipped with dual-fuel engines that can run on biofuel and green methanol.
Trailblazing trenchers
Another crucial part of our fleet are the trenchers that dig in cables after their installation. They are remotely operated underwater and can work up to sea depths of 2,000 metres. Our ploughing vehicles Sunfish and Moonfish have a ground pressure no higher than that of a human being, which makes them the ideal tools to bury export cables in nature-sensitive areas.
Circular solutions
We dredge and treat polluted water sediments, and clean up inhospitable land areas to make it useful for investment, development or restoring natural habitats. In our valorisation centres, we make use of all available technological advancements to give the removed soil a second life.
Cutting-edge soil-treating
Geographically well-spread valorisation centres to store non-polluted and treat contaminated soil. At our plant in the port of Liège (Monsin), we wash contaminated soil to give it new life. After the treatment, we offer the clean sand and gravel to the local construction market.
PFAS soil remediation
An increasing number of construction projects require PFAS remediation. We use special additives that separate PFAS from the soil and a state-of-the-art water treatment process. That means we are now able to convert 80% of the contaminated soil into sand and other PFAS-free organic substances. Our plant in Ghent is fitted with our largest PFAS soil washing plant.
Nature-based techniques
Protection of biodiversity is already taken into account in the engineering phase of our projects. With our nature-based solutions, we go for integrated techniques benefiting from and to nature. We enable nature to develop and maintain itself with the use of natural materials.
Dyke and nature reserve creation
The fertile soil of Texel, one of the Dutch Wadden islands, was in danger because of a leaking dyke. We did not only reinforce the Prins Hendrik Dyke, but also applied nature-based construction and remediation techniques to create an exceptional nature reserve.
Natural plant, mussel and oyster reefs
In collaboration with industry partners, and public and educational institutions, we are developing new nature-based coastal protection techniques. Plants, mussels and oysters become the first line of defence against storm surges and erosion. The natural reefs are the ultimate nature-based support to beaches, dunes and dykes, and reinforce themselves, stimulating biodiversity. Read more about how we create mussel reefs and oyster reefs.
Sharing knowledge and expertise
We share what we know with both external experts and our own employees. Why? Because it is the only way to achieve what we do.
Externally, we take on an advisory and executive role in several institutions and federations. An example: as one of the founding members of Belgian federation The Blue Cluster, we connect about 200 entrepreneurs, researchers and policy makers to design sustainable business models, set up creative partnerships, and develop groundbreaking technology within the blue economy.
Internally, we offer our workforce several tools to develop their skills and knowledge, such as high-end simulators, our project management tool JDN wiki and our in-house academy. Because eventually, it is our team of 8,000 Can-Do people that has to get the job done. And will do it.
