Big news for Roermond: the first shovel is in the ground at Willem-Alexanderhaven! Last Wednesday, the water authority, Port of Roermond, the municipality and the province kicked off a major upgrade of the harbour area.
Why does this matter to you? The current dike simply isn’t tall or strong enough. This project will better protect our city against high water, while making the harbour cleaner and quieter at the same time.
What’s on the to-do list?
- 🚢 A brand-new logistics quay for loading and unloading
- ⚡ Shore power so ships can switch off their engines at the dock (less noise, less pollution!)
- 🌱 A greener design, based on feedback from local residents
- 🛡️ From autumn, the dike will be raised and connected to the higher ground near the N280
Alderman Dirk Franssen: ‘We’re investing not only in water safety, but also in the liveability and economic strength of Roermond.’ Works will continue until the end of 2027, and neighbours will be kept actively informed throughout.
This project is part of something much bigger: the national Flood Protection Programme (HWBP), the largest water safety operation since the Delta Works. Over the next thirty years, water authorities and Rijkswaterstaat will upgrade around 1,400 kilometres of dikes and 400 locks and pumping stations across the Netherlands. On top of that, Limburg received a multi-million euro EU grant (37.4 million euros) for three inland ports: Roermond, Stein (Chemelot) and Maastricht (Beatrixhaven), with a total investment of 76.3 million euros.
Source: Municipality of Roermond
