Dutch Water Expertise for South Korea

The Gyeong-in Ara Waterway is part of the  New Deal of the South Korean government, to create more jobs and to enable economic growth. The Waterway enables flood control for parts of Seoul area and improves the Korean logistics between Incheon and Seoul. It will also boost the area development alongside the Waterway as well as the tourist activities. Spanning a length of 18km and a width of 80m, the Waterway will connect South Korea s capital city Seoul to the coastal city of Incheon and the West Sea.

K-water, responsible for the Waterway, and DHV will cooperate over the next five years and will share knowledge and expertise for this prestigious project. Other projects include the locks required at the entrance to the Waterway near Incheon to cope with a possible 8m spring tide difference.

DHV will employ its knowledge and experience in planning, design and construction supervision, gained in large water-related projects such as Nakdong Barrier near Busan (South-Korea), the storm surge barrier of St Petersburg (Russia) and the expansion of the Panama Locks.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Mr Kim Jong-Hae, executive director of K-water s Gyeong-in Ara Waterway Business Division and by Mr Wim Klomp, project director Ports, Waterways and Coastal Development (DHV) last month. The signing took place during the Dutch Economic Mission to South Korea and was attended by Dutch Prime Minister Mr Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch Ambassador in Seoul Mr Hans Heinsbroek, and the Chairman of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers Mr Bernard Wientjes.