Boskalis Sustainability Report 2020

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CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN ACTION Securing Southsea’s Future

increased public and industrial demand on the coastal zone are expected to continue this trend, affecting the coastline’s vulnerability. Our project aims to restore the balance along this beach by using nature’s own protection, sand, while also minimizing the construction of fixed, hard structures. In addition to providing a strong and flexible coastal protection the use of sand creates a favorable habitat for local ecosystems, such as birds, shells and flora, which are being monitored through extensive campaigns prior, during and after our construction works.”

Strategy and ambition SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 – BOSKALIS The project is being managed by Coastal Partners, an organization of five local councils with coastal defense obligations. The Southsea Coastal Scheme is the UK’s largest local authority-led coastal defenses project, and when the sea defenses are completed, around 2025, they will stretch for 4.5 kilometers and help reduce the risk of flooding to more than 10,000 homes and 700 businesses. Paul Peters is an ecological engineer on the project: “Like many projects in the UK, ecological enhancement of the technical solution is an important topic for our client. Before we started, we presented a report that included suggestions for ecological enhancement as well as technical optimizations. These included tidal pools, oyster reefs, vegetated shingle beaches and carefully engineered pore sizes of the rock fill that would create niches for marine life to breed. After critical consideration, we advised our client that the tidal pools and vegetated shingle beaches were the most appropriate in terms of balancing ecological and commercial value.” A post-tender workshop was organized with the client late 2019 to further discuss these enhancements; other ideas included the beneficial reuse of dredged material and compound locations, taking into account local bird refuge areas. The workshop and subsequent engagement with Coastal Partners and their designers has resulted in the use of tidal pools and the beneficial reuse of demolition and dredged material during the first phase of the project. This has laid a good foundation for us to continue to work together to bring environmental enhancements to the future phases of the project. Boskalis is also actively pursuing opportunities for positive social impact in the area. We will engage with local schools on STEM- related (science, technology, engineering and math) activities, work with local charities, conduct regular beach clean-ups and employ local graduates and apprentices. A Public Liaison Officer will be recruited for a five-year period to work for the project and based primarily at the site liaison office to facilitate engagement and the sharing of information with the local community. Romania: nature-based coastal protection At the end of 2019, Boskalis signed a contract with the Romanian Water Administration for a coastal protection project at Mamaia, near Constanta. For this project Boskalis will dredge four million cubic meters of sand using a large trailing suction hopper dredger and replenish the beach over a length of seven kilometers to create a 100-meter-wide beach. This protection is aimed at reducing coastal erosion to maintain a safe coastline. Work commenced in late 2020 and will be completed mid-2021. Hans van Itallie is project manager: “In the last decades port developments and works on the river Danube have impacted sediment drifts along the coast of the Black Sea, causing slow but steady coastal erosion. Future coastal developments, plus In 2019, Boskalis Westminster and joint venture partner Volker Stevin were awarded a contract by the Portsmouth City Council to construct a new coastal defense structure in Southsea, in the UK.