Van Oord reinforces Romanian coastline in a sustainable manner

Van Oord has won two new contracts to reinforce the coast at the Romanian seaside resorts of Jupiter-Neptun and Balta Mangalia, Venus and Aurora.

The projects consist not only of smart engineering; sustainability is also a major topic in the development.

According to Van Oord, several of the current breakwaters will be removed and redeveloped to make way for more nature-friendly alternatives, making the project tie in very well with Van Oord’s vision on sustainability and climate adaptation.

After a two year long European tender process, the Administratia Bazinala de Apa Dobrogea-Litoral (ABA-DL) has chosen Van Oord for the design and construction of new groynes and beaches, this time over a length of 6 km of coastline.

The projects are an addition to similar Projects in Eforie, which are proceeding as expected.

As part of the work scope, the value of marine habitats will be increased through artificial reefs and bio-structures.

The replantation of over 12 ha of varying species of sea grass and algae on the Black Sea bed will boost and enrich marine life, said Van Oord.

Similar initiatives have been successfully implemented in the previous projects in the area.

The Dutch giant is also moving ahead with the coastal reinforcement works at another Romanian seaside resort – Eforie.

This is a coastal defence program in a tourist area in Romania. New groynes and beaches will be designed and the project includes environmental works.

The project’s goals are:

• making way for more nature-friendly and sustainable coastal defence alternatives;
• ensuring that this coastal town is protected from erosion by the waves of the Black Sea;
• boosting the tourism sector due to the new beaches.

The coastal reinforcement scheme is expected to be completed in 2023.

Part of the project is the construction of three hectares of sea grass.

Van Oord has also conducted a research to determine how to restore the seagrass at this location in the best way, taking into account the local conditions.

Seagrass beds are a very important biotope for marine ecology.

As a result of climate change, disease, coastal redevelopment and pollution, there is a worldwide decline in seagrass.

According to Van Oord, it is a worrying development because these small green plants have a very positive effect on the environment. They store carbon dioxide, keep sediment from washing away and help protect the coast.

For these projects, Van Oord is working on a series of lab and field tests at Lake Grevelingen in the Netherlands, together with the University of Groningen and The Fieldwork Company.

Nathalie Strookman, Environmental Engineer at Van Oord, said: “These tests are teaching us valuable lessons that we can apply worldwide. One of Van Oord’s sustainability themes is Empowering Nature and Communities. Van Oord aims to take lead worldwide in ensuring that projects contribute to local prosperity and nature restoration.”

The construction of the groynes at the Romanian seaside resorts Jupiter-Neptun and Balta Mangalia, Venus and Aurora will start in 2023 after the design phase of about twelve months.

A trailing suction hopper dredger will be deployed to restore the beaches.

New groynes and beaches will protect the popular coastal areas against the waves of the Black Sea – and at the same time boost the tourism sector, said Van Oord.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025.