Alewijnse upgraded the control system on board the unique Kaliwaal 41

Kaliwaal 41 is one of just a few floating sand separation installations in the Netherlands and is currently playing an important role in the Dutch Maaspark Well River widening project.

Alewijnse upgraded the control system on board the unique Kaliwaal 41
Photo: Alewijnse

The Dutch owner, Van Nieuwpoort Bouwgrondstoffen, placed the order for the works with Alewijnse last year and the project was performed in two phases; in mid-2020 and then early 2021. 

The new Alewijnse control system is for the management of the updated technology on the Kaliwaal 41 which carries out the extraction, grading and delivery of sand and gravel in an efficient, productive, reliable and sustainable way.

Michel van Komen, coordinator production and execution Van Nieuwpoort Group, said:

"In consultation with Alewijnse the project was well coordinated, enabling us to carry out the conversion in two phases during our downtime weeks. We are very pleased with the result. We are now able to monitor the operation and efficiency of our installation even better than before and Alewijnse can assist us remotely with their broad expertise."

Jean-Pierre Gerrits, project manager Alewijnse, said:

"We were very pleased to receive the order from Van Nieuwpoort Group for the upgrade of the Kaliwaal. The cooperation with the client throughout the project was excellent. Together we were able to complete the project quickly, efficiently and satisfactorily. We aim to bring the same expertise in electrical engineering and automation to future projects and further cooperation."

Kaliwaal 41 is a unique floating pontoon equipped with an industrial installation that receives material extracted from the water bed, separates the sand from the gravel, and then uses screens to deliver up to 144 different grades of sand for industrial applications. It is one of just a few floating sand separation installations in the Netherlands and is currently playing an important role in the Dutch Maaspark Well River widening project, which aims to create a safe living environment in the Maas valley between Well and Aijen. 

A custom sand dredger installation extracts the sand and pumps it to the Kaliwaal where it is separated on the basis of the particle size and then cleaned and dewatered. Thereafter different mixtures are prepared for different applications for concrete and construction companies.