IMPAKT IB chosen by Rijkswaterstaat for future-proofing of Maas route infrastructure

Rijkswaterstaat recently awarded the engineering firm IMPAKT IB – a collaboration between Witteveen+Bos, Royal HaskoningDHV and Pilz – the engineering services contract for the replacement and renovation of the operation and control components of all movable structures on the Maas route.

To ensure its infrastructure is future-proof, Rijkswaterstaat is going to renovate and replace a large number of civil engineering structures as part of the extensive national renovation and replacement (V&R) programme. IMPAKT IB will now be making an important contribution to this sub-project (Vervanging en renovatie bediening en besturing Maasobjecten – ID MB2.0). The initial contract concerns the plan development phase, during which the scope of the project will be determined together with Rijkswaterstaat and a basic reference design will be produced. The expectation is that IMPAKT IB will subsequently also carry out contract preparations for this sub-project and guide the tendering process for the plan implementation contract.

The main objective of the ID MB2.0 sub-project is to guarantee the operation and performance of structures on the Maas route, one of the most important shipping connections in Europe. These structures include locks, weirs, pumping stations, various other water-control structures, and both fixed and movable bridges. Most of the installations in these structures, as well as their controls, are approaching the end of their lifespan. This project will involve refurbishing and modernising the operation and control of these structures. The project covers no fewer than 18 complexes, 10 control buildings, and 57 movable ‘wet’ structures.

Digital collaboration in phased contract

There are several aspects of the ID MB2.0 project which make it interesting. The plan development phase has been divided into two stages. In the first stage, we will determine the scope of the project together with Rijkswaterstaat and make a clear, concrete schedule. Following a decision date, the second stage will commence, during which the actual implementation of the plan development phase for the 18 complexes will take place. This will result in a goal-oriented and, at the same time, flexible process. We are also building a shared, digital collaboration platform. This platform will ensure that all information is linked to the structures in a traceable way, guaranteeing the integration of both IMPAKT IB and Rijkswaterstaat’s products and processes.

IMPAKT IB is a collaboration between Witteveen+Bos, Royal HaskoningDHV and Pilz that concerns industrial automation, machine safety and cybersecurity in civil infrastructure. It arose from the ‘Aanpak Kritieke Technische infrastructuur’ IMpuls programme, concerning the approach to critical technical Infrastructure. From 2014 to 2019, under assignment to Rijkswaterstaat, we investigated and improved the safety and security of more than 450 bridges, locks, water barriers, tunnels and other structures. The collaboration allows clients such as Rijkswaterstaat, provinces, municipalities and water authorities to continue making use of our unique, combined high-quality knowledge and experience in infrastructure during replacement and renovation (V&R) projects.