The Netherlands is traditionally strong in land reclamation. Countless new areas have been reclaimed with dykes over the centuries. A new way, which does justice to Dutch tradition, is currently being tested by MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands): an artificial floating island. Is this the stepping stone to new opportunities for the agro and food industry?
The floating island is formed by triangles that can be linked together. According to the research institute, islands as large as 5 km can be created this way. The possibilities are virtually unlimited.
With rising sea levels, cities are becoming overcrowded and it becomes necessary to develop activities at sea. Constantly raising dykes and reclaiming land then does not always turn out to be the most effective solution. An alternative is offered by floating ports and cities.
These new floating locations can be used for living and working, as a port, fish or seaweed farming but also for generating alternative forms of energy, such as wind, solar or tidal power.
However, enough questions remain about the feasibility of the project. The MARIN team is therefore investigating the best method to connect the triangles and fix the island to the seabed. It is also looking at how the behaviour of the water affects the structure of the island and the people living and working on it. Furthermore, the environmental effects of the new islands and how they can be addressed are being investigated.
Therefore, computer simulations and tests are carried out with a scale model of an island the size of 87 triangles. In the 40 x 40 m offshore basin, wind, waves and currents are simulated and how the island reacts to these conditions are examined. The test, computer image and possible results, can be seen in the video below.
Source and images: MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands)
