Rohde Nielsen has completed caisson filling works for the ongoing expansion of the Port of Bilbao in Spain.
Rohde Nielsen's trailing suction hopper dredger Njord R placed approximately 248,000 cubic metres of dredged material into the caissons through a side pipe system developed by the company.
Rohde Nielsen said the system allowed accurate and controlled filling and that the method minimised material dispersion and produced progressive, homogeneous filling.
The Port Authority of Bilbao awarded the second-phase Central Breakwater construction contract to a joint venture led by Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure in July 2024. The contract carried a budget of €55.2 million (US$61.5 million).
The works will add 1,011 metres of berthing frontage. This comprises 664 metres at the new A3 quay and a 347-metre extension to the existing A4 quay, with a water depth of 21 metres at both. Completion is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
The new vertical quay is formed by 15 reinforced concrete caissons. These are floated into position and sunk onto a prepared foundation by flooding their cells, which are then filled.
Sacyr has identified sand dredged from marine deposits as the filling material.
The DP2-equipped Njord R recently also took part in Rohde Nielsen's beach protection project at Matalascañas in Huelva.