May 14 - Netherlands headquartered heavy transportation specialist Van der Vlist has played a key role in the construction of a new bridge crossing the Oude Maas in Rotterdam.
Building of the Botlek bridge started in 2011. Having taken delivery of eight large components at its Moerdijk terminal - which recently achieved AEO status (http://tinyurl.com/cwjeywh) - Van der Vlist was charged with the storage and assembly of the items into two 'sinker' pieces.
The sinker pieces will be used to take data and power cables underneath the bridge when it is completed. When assembled, each piece measured 100 m in length, 1.22 m in diameter and weighed 265 tonnes.
Having assembled and stored the sinker pieces at its Moerdijk terminal, Van der Vlist coordinated the movement of the units to the bridge location using three floating cranes. The bridge, set for completion in 2015, will be one of the world's largest movable bridges.
