As part of a large sand replenishment project off the Dutch coast, from Heemskerk to Castricum, a foreshore nourishment was carried out.

This foreshore nourishment consisted of creating a sandbank a few hundred metres off the beach.

Over time, the sand from the sandbank moves to the beach and dunes under the influence of currents, waves and wind. This makes foreshore replenishment a very sustainable method of coastal protection.

Filia Dredging contributed to this foreshore replenishment with the TSHD Willem Sr.

Some 3.5 million cubic metres of sand was required to construct this sandbank.

The trailing suction hopper dredgers dredged up the sand from a sand extraction area about 20 kilometres off the coast.

The trailing suction hopper dredgers then sailed to the beach where the sand was dumped or rainbowed onto the sandbank.

Thanks to the TSHD Willem Sr’s very shallow draft, the entire load could be dumped. This resulted in fuel savings compared to rainbowing, as the sand did not have to be pumped out again.

The sand could also be dumped more accurately on site.

As a result, TSHD Willem Sr precisely and efficiently constructed a significant part of the bank according to the desired bed profile.