Temporary submersible pumps from Van Heck helped with the controlled sinking of caissons for Princess Elisabeth Island.

Caissons filling with seawater

For the world's first energy island, Princess Elisabeth Island, we are supplying our client TM Edison with temporary pump installations for the controlled sinking of the huge concrete caissons.

Not a small job. But exactly the kind of work that energizes us at Van Heck.

An energy hub at sea

Off the Belgian coast, a unique artificial island of about 6 hectares is rising. Princess Elisabeth Island will be the central energy hub where electricity from various offshore wind farms converges. From here, the generated energy is brought ashore, and it also offers the possibility to strengthen European interconnection capacity.

An important step for the energy transition and a technically impressive piece of offshore engineering.

20,000 tons and yet float

The foundation of the island consists of 23 huge concrete caissons. These colossi were built entirely on the quay in Vlissingen and are no less than 58 meters long, 28 meters wide, and 28 meters high. Weight? About 20,000 tons each.

Yet they continue to float.

Tugboats tow the caissons about 45 kilometers to their final location off the Belgian coast. Upon arrival, the controlled sinking begins.

Pumps determine the pace

That's where our pumps come into play.

On the side of the caisson, we place two powerful submersible pumps. These pumps fill the caisson with seawater, causing it to descend to the seabed in a controlled and precise manner.

The pumps are fully operated remotely. This gives the operators maximum control during an operation where precision and reliability are essential.

After sinking, the caissons are further filled with sand by dredgers, creating a stable foundation on the seabed. The pumping installation is then rebuilt and used for the next caisson.

23 caissons. Over and over. Always controlled.

Technology that just has to work

Offshore is no place for surprises. Equipment must be reliable, the schedule must be accurate, and during the operation, you must know exactly what your installation is doing.

With our temporary pump installations, we contribute to a controlled and efficient execution of a project of exceptional scale.