The high-voltage connection between Krimpen aan den IJssel and Geertruidenberg is crucial for the electricity supply in large parts of South Holland and Brabant the 89 towers along this 380kV route were in need of a major overhaul A challenging task—made even more complex by the fact that the connection runs through fragile natural areas in Alblasserwaard and the Biesbosch we successfully delivered this project in collaboration with TenneT we reinforced the foundations of all towers and installed additional foundation piles where necessary Working in the wet polder landscape required extra care and expertise explains: ‘In the northern part of the route which poses challenges due to the low load-bearing capacity of the ground we used temporary construction roads made of wood chips This was essential to support the heavy machinery and minimise damage to the underlying soil.’ Read more about this project (in Dutch) BAM with its JV partners Ferrovial and SK ecoplant (known as Riverlinx) have completed the Silvertown Tunnel a landmark infrastructure project connecting Silvertown in Newham with the Greenwich Peninsula BAM has started work to transform accessibility at Hither Green station in London - making travel easier quicker and more inclusive for thousands of people every day TenneT has awarded BAM Infra Nederland the civil works contract for the 380 kV high-voltage connection between Moerdijk and Tilburg covering the eastern section of the new connection between Rilland and Tilburg More > Authorities confiscated some 5,500 kilograms of illegal fireworks, explosives, and cannabis plants during a raid on a warehouse in the Zuid-Holland village of Krimpen aan de Lek. Three men, ages 40, 57, and 60, from Krimpen aan den IJssel, were arrested in the raid The discovery included category F4 fireworks and materials used for producing gunpowder Law enforcement also found cannabis plants at the location on Tiendweg-West The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (EOD) removed the hazardous materials and firefighters were on site to ensure safety during the operation The bust was part of a coordinated inspection involving local police These operations are part of a broader strategy to tackle "undermining crime"—a term used to describe criminal activities that blur the lines between legal and illegal spheres of society “This kind of integrated control is essential,” said Mayor Pieter Beenakker of Krimpenerwaard “These efforts are a key part of our municipality's approach to tackling organized crime Thanks to the effective collaboration among inspectors and the Midden-Holland Environmental Service we’ve achieved another significant result.” Undermining crime encompasses various illegal activities that threaten societal integrity including drug trafficking and exploitation Such crimes are often organized and can involve innocent individuals Police have expressed growing concern over the recruitment of minors by criminal networks Authorities further stress the importance of public involvement in combating these crimes Residents are urged to report suspicious activities to the police whether related to organized crime or the illegal handling of fireworks Reports can be made anonymously through dedicated hotlines The police maintain a continuous focus on the illegal fireworks trade with increased efforts as New Year’s Eve approaches Specialized teams investigate reports of storage Officials also conduct public awareness campaigns highlighting the dangers of illegal fireworks The ongoing “It’s Just Fireworks” campaign seeks to educate the public about the risks associated with improper storage and use of such materials Plans to move a replica of Noah’s Ark to Israel or South Korea have been canceled. The ship will now stay in the Netherlands, according to Rijnmond The vessel is set to be transported to the harbor of Amsterdam from Krimpen aan den IJssel offers many possibilities for our plans,” a spokesperson of the company Beelen who are behind the project developer Laerendael said Dutch entrepreneur Johan Huibers began building a smaller variant of the ship from the Bible in 2007 The ship is 122 meters long and 27 meters high The original plan for the ship was to bring attention to Noah’s story to people young and old Huiberts will continue to be involved with the ship under the new plans The ship will be brought to Amsterdam via the North Sea as it is too big for rivers and canals the transport could be done via a kind of platform But those are constantly being used for windmills It will be quite a difficult job,” said the spokesperson “The wood is not in the best state in some areas,” said the spokesperson we will finally be able to shape the new plans." Beelen has previously stated its intention to develop a Superyacht Tech Campus but plans for this have been blocked by the municipality The company may use the Ark to aid their plans for this By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org Johan Huibers believes his country is facing imminent flooding But the businessman says he built his unique vessel to bring people close to God KRIMPEN AAN DE IJSSEL, Netherlands (JTA) — For two years the world’s only seaworthy life-size replica of Noah’s Ark has been wowing passengers traveling along Holland’s Maas River Built according to the specifications detailed in the Hebrew Bible the 390-foot-long vessel towers to a height of 75 feet It boasts enough wood to fell 12,000 trees And its distinct form dominates the coastline of the small town hosting it deep in southern Holland’s so-called Bible Belt Dwarfing even some modern-day cruise ships, the ark instantly became an international tourist attraction when it was completed in 2012 after four years of construction the devout Christian businessman Johan Huibers can’t wait to take the mammoth to Israel — a country whose problems and successes “My preferred destination for the ark is Israel,” Huibers told JTA earlier this month on the forward deck which features a life-size statue of a giraffe The bow of Huibers’ Noah’s Ark is seen in Krimpen aan de Ijssel flows from the same impulse that compelled him to raise nearly $5 million to build the ark but I believe everything written in this book cover to cover,” he said while pointing at a copy of a translation into Dutch of the Hebrew Bible It only makes sense to take it to God’s land.” Huibers planned to take the ship to Israel soon after its completion but wildfires in Israel torpedoed the journey Now he no longer has the approximately $1.3 million necessary for getting there (the ark has no motor so Huibers needs to rent tugboats to sail it) Huibers had plans to sail the ark to Brazil shove while waiting in line and don’t listen to anyone who made a fortune building storage spaces which Huibers said he built with just seven people over four years proves that Noah’s Ark could indeed be built by that biblical figure “I wanted children to come here and feel the texture of the wood see the nails and see that what is written in the book is true,” he said A view of the half-built bow seen in Dorderecht in 2011 He instructs Noah to build the ark with his family and collect pairs of animals so they may survive the deluge which was meant to cleanse the Earth of the sins of humankind Huibers got the idea to build an ark from reading a story about it to his children after supper one evening in 1993 had already built a replica of the ark,” he said “And then I said out loud that if none had But it drew little more than an incredulous chuckle from her “She told the kids that after I finish building my ark we can all go on vacation to the moon,” he recalled Huibers completed his first Noah’s Ark replica It was only 230 feet long and 33 feet wide because those were the maximum measurements for any vessel seeking to negotiate Holland’s extensive network of canals “I wanted to spread God’s word in the Netherlands,” he said But his ambitions grew “when everyone asked me: Why is it only half the size of the one in the Bible So I sold the smaller one and built a life-size one Huibers isn’t the only one using the ark to prove the probability of the biblical story a creationist theme park featuring an ark built on a biblical scale the one in the landlocked state does not float The Kentucky ark was built with more than three times the budget of the one in the Netherlands Huibers said his crew was made up of amateur carpenters without real training adding to the overall authenticity of the vessel a hairdresser and a teacher working here,” he said The big ark is made of a steel frame and American cedar and pine wood Its cavernous interior is surrounded by side decks whose impressive size is magnified even further by their curvature The ship features an open amphitheater in its center connected to the raised deck by a series of stairs that many thousands of visitors The ark is currently closed to visitors because of disagreements between Huibers and this municipality Krimpen aan de Ijssel officials say they favor reopening it but require “certain adjustment,” citing public safety concerns insured and equipped with better fire extinguishing equipment than required by law He also claims that the reluctance to allow the ark to open in Krimpen — a highly devout town – owes to how some “very strict individuals consider it a forbidden depiction of God’s image.” of which only an aviary with parakeets and other small birds remains Huibers said he does not intend to place living animals in the ark for now “only to show they could fit.” The boat features stalls larders and internal gutters for the disposal of refuse Life-size figures of animals inside the Noah’s Ark in Dorderecht in 2013 In addition to wanting to give schoolchildren a tangible experience of Noah’s Ark Huibers had darker reasons for building the two wooden vessels he has made “I believe we are living in the end of times,” he said Growing up in a low-lying country whose population has been fighting back water for more than 1,000 years has given Huibers a better understanding than many of the risks of flooding He was born five years after the North Sea flood of 1959 which killed more than 2,000 people in a society still crippled by the devastating effects of World War II isn’t designed to save Huibers’ life or family but my survival is not its purpose,” Huibers said he is busy with another project involving water and the Holy Land Huibers has designed a gravity-based system that he says would transport water from the coastal desalinization plants through the desert and into the shrinking Dead Sea Huibers does keep a few boats for his family noting that one of them can hold 100 people “Maybe we’ll end up saving the neighborhood one day,” he said JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent I accept the Privacy Policy The steel cutting ceremony of two electrically powered mining dredgers for Kenmare Resources took place at Royal IHC shipyard in Kinderdijk today “We were honoured to welcome Kees van der Staaij and aldermen Hugo van der Wal and Piet Vat to Royal IHC’s shipyards in both Kinderdijk and Krimpen aan den IJssel,” said Royal IHC in his new role as Special Envoy of the Dutch maritime industry was invited to initiate the ceremonial cutting of the first steel plate for the two electrically powered mining dredgers we are building for our client Kenmare Resources Plc.” the officials discussed a number of topics related to the Dutch maritime industry together with NMT | Netherlands Maritime Technology and Topsector Water & Maritiem Daily news and in-depth stories in your 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This site uses cookies. Read our policy Sign up to receive our free news alerts Achmea Real Estate has acquired neighbourhood shopping centre De Korf in Krimpen aan den IJssel on behalf of the Achmea Dutch Retail Property Fund (ADRPF) from Van der Vorm Vastgoed The 9,000 m2 centre has 34 tenants and is fully let The neighbourhood shopping centre focuses on daily shopping with tenants such as Jumbo The acquisition follows the two new mandates totalling EUR 117 million that the ADRPF received last year from a Dutch institutional investor ‘We focus the fund on the nine strongest inner cities in the Netherlands and dominant neighbourhood shopping centres’ we are further completing this strategy.’  so the acquisition contributes to the ADRPF’s goal of making the portfolio further sustainable 90.4 per cent of the portfolio (measured in square metres) has an A label.  portfolio manager Retail at Van der Vorm Vastgoed We carried out a large-scale revitalisation we realised a future-proof shopping centre with full occupancy consumers have known how to find the mall even better.’  You can now read the full press release at the link below 18 March – The Architectural Firms Pension Fund (‘Pensioenfonds voor de Architectenbureaus’) has given Achmea Real Estate’s Achmea Dutch Healthcare Property Fund (ADHCPF) a new mandate of 58 million euros This is in addition to the first mandate of €47.5 million with which the pension fund joined the healthcare property fund in 2009 The recovery in the real estate market continues cautiously writes Peter Koppers of Achmea Real Estate in the new Investment Update INREV research shows that investors are again allocating new capital to real estate with a strong focus on core strategies and sectors with stable fundamentals Residential real estate remains the absolute favorite particularly affordable rental housing and senior housing Achmea Real Estate today launches a new impact fund specifically aimed at acquiring and making older rental homes more sustainable: the Achmea Dutch Residential Impact Fund (ADRIF) Achmea is the first financial services provider with such a fund Copyright © 1997–2025 IPE International Publishers Limited Site powered by Webvision Cloud Home » Video: Naval Group IHC Team for the Dutch Walrus Submarine Replacement Program Louwrens op de Beek from Royal IHC took us around the shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel near Rotterdam (Netherlands) and inside the largest covered slipway in Europe also told us the reasons why the two companies teamed up Naval News brings you news coverage of the latest naval defense shows & events We are also reporting on naval technology from all over the world SCHIEDAM, the Netherlands — HSM Offshore Energy has entered a long-term lease agreement with Hollandia for use of the Stormpolder yard in Krimpen aan den IJssel Nieuwe Maas and Hollandse IJssel with direct access to the North Sea The yard covers a total area of 30,000 sq m By securing the additional fabrication facility, HSM is positioning itself to meet the increasing demand in the offshore renewable market, focusing on the offshore wind, gas, CCS and hydrogen segments in the North Sea and Baltic Sea areas. FinanceDutch fabrication yard set to be acquired by French construction giantHSM Offshore Energy will become part of Eiffage and work closely with the latter player's Dutch subsidiary Smulders Photo: Erik Zachte via Wikimedia CommonsThe owner of a replica of  Noah’s Ark is trying to auction off the Bible-inspired entertainment centre but so far buyers have failed to make a bid The 122-metre-long ship, currently moored at Krimpen aan de IJssel, is one of two arks built by entrepreneur Johan Huibers whose inspiration came from a dream he had about a flood in Noord-Holland The first ark, no longer owned by Huibers, is some 70 metres long and has a checkered career of mishaps while on tour It has since come to rest as a Bible Museum in Hasselt in Overijssel Huiber started work on the bigger ark in 2008 taking five years and €4 million to finish The bigger ark debuted to the public in Dordrecht in 2012 and attracted 280,000 visitors over the next few years It also participated in the city’s boat parade during the festivities of the 2015 Koningsdag which were attended by the Dutch royal family The downfall of the bigger ark is largely credited to its sheer girth It’s even more difficult to move and dock than its predecessor and was forced to leave Dordrecht once work on a nearby housing project got underway in 2016 Huibers hoped to transport the ark to Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Olympics that year but couldn’t find a ship powerful enough to pull it across the Atlantic Other plans and schemes have come and gone and eventually it was towed to what was originally intended to be a temporary location in Krimpen aan den IJssel Stuck in Krimpen aan de IJssel since 2016, Huibers has been looking for a buyer ever since. “There have been delegations from as far afield as South Korea, Houston, Istanbul and Israel. They were all interested but nothing came of it. And now I have had enough and I want rid of it,” he told the AD The Ark was put on auction site Troostwijk auctions this week with a starting bid of €350,000 Offers for the Ark have not been pouring in which may have something to do with the fact that prospective owners will have to find a place to put it Huibers is philosophical about how much the project has cost him “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this has cost me a lot of money,”  he told the paper “But if your hobby is to collect miniature trains and you want to get rid of them at some point you know you will never get back what you paid for them Huibers said he hoped a new owner would continue to use the Ark as a way to spread a message of faith “If they want to turn it into a brothel I’m not selling” We could not provide the Dutch News service without the generous support of our readers Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days We could not provide this service without you Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey Dutch company HSM Offshore Energy has entered into a long-term lease agreement with its compatriot Hollandia to use its Stormpolder yard in Krimpen aan den IJssel The move is part of HSM Offshore Energy’s expansion plans and the growing order book which has several offshore wind and offshore grid projects in its portfolio and pipeline HSM Offshore Energy plans to meet the increasing demand in the offshore renewable market carbon capture & storage (CCS) and hydrogen segments in the North Sea and Baltic Sea areas and commissioning (EPCIC) solutions provider has been contracted on RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm and the Ostwind 3 and Gennaker 1 & 2 projects by German transmission system operator (TSO) 50Hertz The company is also building the N05-A gas platform the first electrified gas production platform which will run entirely on offshore wind power for ONE-Dyas’s project in the North Sea HSM Offshore Energy rolled out the topside of the N05-A gas platform this April Commenting on the expansion of the fabrication capacity Commercial Director of HSM Offshore Energy said: “The lease of the Stormpolder yard is a step forward in our growth strategy With our growing order book and our focus on the offshore energy mix it is an important milestone for us to continue supporting our valuable clients with additional yard capacity and extended know-how of our employees.” the Stormpolder yard and office are strategically located between the rivers Noord Nieuwe Maas and Hollandse IJssel and are easily accessible by road and inland waterways of which 4,600m2 are covered including a brand-new main platform assembly hall Get in front of your target audience in one move OffshoreWIND.biz is read by thousands of offshore wind professionals daily Leveraging 20 years of experience with offshore windDecember 2023 will forever mark a milestone in our company history as we became part of the world-wide CS WIND group The acquisition goes beyond a mere change in ownership; it marks a leap into a future where our combined strengths will pave the way for optimized production […] Full-sized replica of Noah’s Ark made by Dutch builder is up for saleBookmarkBookmarkBy Simone JacobsDec 7 2024The full-sized replica of Noah’s Ark which was built by Johan Huibers Johan Huibers built Noah’s Ark (Ark van Noach) himself and after completion in 2012, it was made open to the public in the Netherlands. Huibers built the ark to draw attention to the story of Noah and the Bible. It has therefore acted as a kind of museum The replica was built according to Biblical dimensions and measures 122 metres long There are seven floors with an exhibition about Noah but also other modern facilities such as cinemas Video: YouTube / De Telegraaf Since 2016, the ship has been closed to the public and sitting idle in the water at the quay in Krimpen aan den IJssel, near Rotterdam "We have been trying to find another partner for 8,5 years now and I have travelled all over the world it has not yielded anything so far," Huibers told NOS "The ark has been idle for the past few years and I feel the responsibility to ensure that it comes back to life."  The ark has been put up for sale with Troostwijk Auctions but the ark will not go for that," said Frank Mak of the auction house "We will see what price the ship will go for you can do a lot with it." Potential buyers have until December 18 to make an offer BookmarkSimone JacobsEditor at IamExpat Media Construction on the Boskalis’ new Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger has begun at Royal IHC Krimpen aan den IJssel yard in the Netherlands Boskalis Executive Board member Theo Baartmans officially cut the first steel plate of their new 31,000m3 TSHD designed by Royal IHC in close cooperation with Boskalis “A big shout out to our Metalix department It’s thanks to their craftsmanship and dedication that we are on the way to the construction of this state-of-the-art dredger,” said IHC in the announcement one of the largest hopper dredgers in the Boskalis fleet features energy-efficient design including the full diesel-electric installation and propulsion via Azipods One of the features is the use of (green) methanol as an alternative fuel The methanol plant and storage tanks on board make this switch possible With a double suction pipe equipped with underwater pumps and two discharge pumps with a combined discharge capacity of 15,000 kW the new trailing suction hopper dredger will be well suited for dredging and discharge of material over the long distances to a reclamation site The new vessel is expected to enter service in mid-2026 Welcome to maritimejournal.com. This site uses cookies. Read our policy webinars and articles on innovations and current trends in the commercial marine industry Alternatively REGISTER for website access and sign up for email alerts Dutch specialist shipbuilder IHC Merwede has launched the 500 m3 grab hopper dredger Dohuk and the 3,500 m3 trailing suction hopper dredger Karbala in two ceremonies at the company’s Krimpen aan den Ijssel yard Already a member? SIGN IN now It only takes a minute to sign up for a free account Get access and more free content sign up today Does your organisation require more access? Upgrade to a subscription and enjoy unlimited news and additional features The electricity grid in Rotterdam and the surrounding area has reached its maximum capacity, grid operator Stedin announced on Tuesday. Large consumers who apply for a new connection or want to expand their existing one will now end up on a waiting list, the grid operator said. The affected area includes a large part of Rotterdam-Zuid, Krimpen aan den Ijssel, Ridderkerk, and Barendrecht. Parts of Capelle aan den IJssel and Krimpernerwaard are also affected, as are small parts of Albrandswaard, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Zuidplas, and Zwijndrecht. To relieve pressure on the power grid, Stedin is investigating whether it can reward some large consumers for using electricity at non-peak times. Large consumers who would like to participate can register with the grid operator. Stedin also appealed to households and small businesses to avoid peak hours on the electricity grid - between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. in the winter. “By using charging stations and heat pumps mainly outside these peak hours, residents and businesses help relieve the electricity grid,” regional director Maarten Bijl said. Stedin is working with TenneT on expanding and strengthening the grid around Rotterdam and expects it to have space again from 2029. The power grid throughout the Netherlands is under pressure. Demand for electricity keeps rising as the country transitions away from natural gas for cooking and heating and fossil fuel vehicles. Zuid-Holland is the only province in the Netherlands that still has some space on the electricity grid, though that too is getting scarce. All other provinces are colored red or orange, with some yellow spots here and there, on Netbeheer Nederland’s capacity map. “Zuid-Holland still has some white spots because heavier grids were installed here due to the many industries,” a spokesperson for Stedin explained to NU.nl. “But throughout the Netherlands, the electricity grid is reaching the limits of its capacity and therefore expansion is necessary. All grid operators are working on this.” © 2012-2025, NL Times, All rights reserved. Installation contractors must constantly anticipate energy developments. The widespread additions to the global construction vessel fleet of recent years were driven by offshore operators’ shifting priorities. When Seaway Heavy Lifting started conceptual studies for theOleg Strashnov in 2005, the company identified the need for a dual-draft, fast-transit crane vessel, capable of criss-crossing between the world’s remoter regions to take on mid-range development projects. Oleg Strashnov being launched from the shipway at IHC Merwede’s yard in Krimpen an den IJssel. These criteria still apply, although the vessel’s maiden assignment will be in Seaway’s back yard, the southern North Sea, installing structures for Statoil’s Sheringham Shoal wind farm project off the English east coast.Oleg Strashnov will return to this region in the summer for its first offshore project, lifting the topsides for RWE’s Clipper gas platform.  Construction of the vessel started in late 2007 at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, east of Rotterdam. Reliable delivery was one of the factors in the local award of this contract, rather than a yard in the Far East, although the vessel was eventually delivered nearly a year behind schedule. Since construction started, there have been few changes to the original equipment specifications or layout. Where possible, Seaway tried to cover all eventualities prior to awarding the contract. “We spent more time on this process, and took the design further, than most other shipbuilders would do,” Spaans explains. “Other vessels have DP but no anchor spread – ours has both, which gives us the flexibility to change the ship as and when circumstances demand. Some multi-role crane ships can handle 4,000-metric ton [4,409-ton] lifts, but not 5,000 mt [5,511 t] like this one. Ours can lift more than most monohulls, and it is also equipped with a whip hoist to accommodate flare stacks and light structures up to 800 mt at heights of 134 m above the water line. “Another feature is the under-deck firing line, which opens up the deck area for construction. This is a fallback option – if the world economy leads to a shortage of crane work, we can provide S-lay. The beauty of having this spread below deck is that it won’t interfere with crane operations, but for the time being, our focus will remain on lifting.” (top)Oleg Strashnov undergoing sea trials, ahead of its first installation project in the UK North Sea. (bottom) The main crane being readied for installation at the quayside in Rotterdam, with Oleg Strashnov in the background. Last September, the vessel transferred to another location in the Maasvlakte waterway in southern Rotterdam for sea trials and commissioning/testing of the main crane. The trial program for the crane lasted over two months, progressing from minor lifts to proof loading, towards the end of the commissioning stage. Then the heavier lifts were staged, climaxing in a 5,000-mt test load at the 13.5-m operational draft in March. “All the sea trials were performed in November,” says Seaway’s COO Wim van der Velde. “We checked the dynamic positioning system for workability, and the results were pretty impressive. The design of this system was based on certain assumptions, but when it came to validating the reality, the performance was quite a bit better than in the design phase. “This is a DP3 vessel, with an enormous amount of built-in redundancy. In normal operations, you don’t approach the limits of its capability. But if there is only the slightest possible weather window, this vessel can operate, unlike other ships of its size. Our thruster system makes more optimum use of all the thrusters by means of an innovative switching technology.” Oleg Strashnov’s patented hull shape allows for smoother transit through rough seas than conventional monohulls or semisubmersibles, he adds. The hull shape also facilitates dual-draft operations. At the normal transit draft of 8.5 m (28 ft) it will typically perform piling operations and lighter-weight subsea lifts. Lowering the vessel to a draft of 13.5 m brings the wider parts of the hull into the water, rendering the vessel suitably stable for high-end lifts.  Although theStanislav Yudin has worked traditionally in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India, Seaway has always looked to go global, according to Business Development Manager Aart Ligterink. This will now be more feasible, owing to Oleg Strashnov’s fast transit speed. “We will focus it on bigger projects. While the vessel will work in the North Sea, we aim to pitch it at more ‘remote’ regions where no other heavy-lift vessels are permanently based, such as eastern Canada, Brazil and Argentina. We also see opportunities in Southeast Asia and offshore Australia, where there is definitely scope to perform at least one project a year. “In the UK sector, we see more demand for jackets and substations for wind farms, thanks to the government’s subsidies, with the substations gaining in weight to 4,000 – 5,000 tons [4,409-5,511 tons]. That market was not there when we committed to this venture in 2005-07.” “We are also looking with our clients at the possibilities for mooring projects involving mid-size Spars and mini-TLPs in the Gulf of Mexico. This would be perfect forOleg Strashnov, which could install the entire platform (topsides included) and the suction piles, then pay out fiber rope moorings to connect them to the hull.”  The Netherlands is home to two arks September 24 Photo Ark van Noach websiteThe Netherlands is home to a pair of massive representations of Noah’s Ark which could be useful given 25% of the country is below sea level they won’t be much use to sail away in should there be a new flood On the edges of an industrial estate in Krimpen aan den IJssel there is a gigantic model of Noah’s Ark Visitors are few and it hasn’t been open to the public in seven years just past a housing development on the edges of Zeewolde smaller ark docked alongside a man-made peninsula shaped like a tulip The story behind these Biblical boats is almost as strange as their current ports of call. Both are the brainchild of the contractor and builder Johan Huibers who told a reporter a few years ago he was inspired to build them after having a dream that Noord Holland would one day flood Since their completion in 2007 and 2012 respectively they’ve dropped anchor across the Netherlands and beyond entertaining and educating hundreds of thousands of visitors Today the smaller ark is home to a Biblical museum where visitors can drink a soda in a cafe beside taxidermied giraffes on the top deck when they’re not viewing elaborate dioramas devoted to stories from the Old and New Testaments A visit to the little ark is more like going to a theme park than Sunday school and that’s just how the ark’s current owner Aad Peters likes it The long-time puppeteer and entrepreneur purchased the boat from Huibers in 2010 and quickly went about giving it a new theme “It was being used as a preaching ship,” he told Dutch News I don’t think that’s the way you should tell a tale.” Peters’s ark avoids much of the fire and brimstone you’ll find in similar Bible museums over in the US Instead of enduring heavy-handed proselytising young visitors can gaze into fun house mirrors or yank a rope that helps a wooden David launch a stone at a particularly grumpy Goliath Satan doesn’t even get a cameo and there’s a fish pond and a theatre in the hull instead of a dark underworld has four decks and took Huibers two years to build back in the 2000s at a cost of €2 million The boat was constructed on top of a pontoon once used to transport iron ore and has to be towed from port to port by tugboats In October 2010 and a tour of 21 cities later Huibers handed over the keys to Peters as he continued construction on an even bigger Since then visitors to the little ark have ranged from parents and their kids to Hells Angels Members of the notorious motorcycle gang apparently had a blast talking to one another in the confession booth on one of the lower decks Like his predecessor, Peters has taken the ark on tour, which has not been without problems. The crew lost control of the boat in the port of Oslo in June 2016 and crashed into a Norwegian Coast Guard ship The ark made headlines around the world again in January 2018 Heavy winds during a storm caused it to break free from its moorings in the harbour of Urk It smashed into several yachts and a nearby jetty and the crew had to be rescued by the emergency services Huiber started work on the bigger ark in 2008 and it took him five years and €4 million to finish and an amphitheatre and like its predecessor its displays even contained a few live ones Other plans and schemes have come and gone and eventually it was towed to what was originally intended to be a temporary location in Krimpen aan den IJssel It has yet to reopen to the public and the website has not been updated since 2017 Meanwhile Peters is still in the process of trying to find a new place to dock the little ark because of permit problems There are also plans in place to re-theme it inspired by a trip to England in late 2019 Shortly after its arrival in the UK, members of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion climbed aboard the ark to protest about rising sea levels “They put up a banner that said ‘We Need a Better Plan Than This,’” Peters recalled “I thought that was a great message.” An updated version of the Ark could soon open to the public with an environmental theme “‘What are we going to do today?’ is the new focus,” Peters said “Are we going to hide in our arks or are we going to work together and try to fix things?” The Ark, a 122-meter-long replica of the biblical Noah's Ark, had been up for auction at Troostwijk Auctions, where bidding fell short of the minimum asking price of 465,000 euros. The auction's failure prompted entrepreneur Daniël Vandy to step in. Vandy, who co-owns the ark with Huibers, immediately began discussions to purchase the ship outside of the auction process, offering a substantially higher sum to pay off Huibers' debts. “We made an offer much higher than what was bid at the auction, and Huibers was happy with that,” Vandy said. “He is also excited about the opportunity to go to Israel to spread the message about God and faith.” The ark’s journey is slated to begin in April 2025, when it will depart from Krimpen aan den IJssel and make stops in England, Portugal, and Spain before arriving in Tel Aviv, Israel, in January 2026. The ark had become a symbol of faith for many, with plans to not only renovate the structure but also use it as a platform to share the biblical story of the flood. Vandy expressed a strong desire to bring the ark to Israel, emphasizing the significance of the message it carries. “We want to bring attention to the story of the flood in Israel, to tell the story of Noah's sons and the different nations that came from them,” Vandy said. The renovations to the ark will include adding air conditioning and coverings to the decks to make it suitable for Israel's climate. The ark will be converted into a museum in Israel and opened to the public, where visitors will learn not only about the flood but also other biblical stories. Vandy and Huibers are collaborating with Christian broadcasting network CBN to present these stories in multiple languages. The restoration of the ark is expected to take several months, with renovations funded by the donations from Vandy’s crowdfunding campaign, the Dutch investor’s contributions, and the Israeli donation. A significant challenge for the ark’s restoration is ensuring that it can withstand Israel’s hot climate, particularly through the installation of air conditioning. Volunteers have already stepped forward to assist in the renovation process. “We are grateful for the opportunity to continue this project together,” said Vandy, who was determined to secure the ark’s future despite the uncertainty of the auction. “Huibers knows the ark inside and out, and his passion for it is contagious. We are looking forward to the encounters we will have with the ark.” 11:49Mieraskerk in Krimpen aan den IJssel beschadigd door vuurwerkDeel dit artikelDe Mieraskerk in Krimpen aan den IJssel is beschadigd door vuurwerk Dat zegt een woordvoerder van de Rotterdamse politie Er zijn vuurwerkresten gevonden op de plek waar vannacht een explosie plaatsvond Rond 04.30 uur alarmeerde een vrouw de politie nadat zij een harde knal had gehoord Ook was er andere schade aan de voorkant van het gebouw Er is geen brand uitgebroken en niemand is gewond geraakt 0:14Beelden van explosie bij Mieraskerk Krimpen aan den IJssel Martijn Vroom de burgemeester van Krimpen aan den IJssel Dit is een ontploffing bij een gebouw dat voor zo veel mensen de lievelingsplek is van het dorp De politie onderzoekt of de kerk de komende tijd mogelijk extra beveiliging nodig heeft Verslaggever Vincent van Rijn zegt dat de grootste schade zichtbaar is aan de kerkdeuren "De onderkant is wat ingedeukt en zwartgeblakerd" In de loop van de ochtend hadden de forensisch experts hun onderzoek afgerond Er werd onder meer sporenonderzoek gedaan op het grasveldje voor de kerk Agenten hadden de kerk vanochtend vroeg al afgezet voor onderzoek: 0:32Mieraskerk in Krimpen aan den IJssel beschadigdVanochtend circuleerden al snel de beelden van het moment van de explosie In de video legt iemand in donkere kleding en met een capuchon op het hoofd iets voor de deuren van het kerkgebouw en steekt dat aan kort daarna gevolgd door een nog grotere knal Verslaggever Van Rijn sprak met een vrouw die in de buurt van de kerk woont en wakker werd van een "enorme explosie" "Mijn man en ik dachten meteen: dit is bij de kerk Het is eigenlijk triest dat je zoiets verwacht." De politie houdt er rekening mee dat het voorval te maken heeft met wat er afgelopen weekeinde gebeurde bij de Mieraskerk nadat een journalist van de regionale omroep Rijnmond zondagmorgen een klap en een trap had gekregen van een 43-jarige Krimpenaar terwijl hij kerkgangers vragen stelde over hun bezoek aan de Mieraskerk omdat de Mieraskerk net als de Sionkerk op Urk besloot tegen de corona-adviezen in het kerkgebouw weer open te stellen voor alle leden Daarmee liet de kerk het kabinetsadvies los om diensten zoveel mogelijk digitaal te organiseren en een maximum te stellen aan het aantal kerkgangers Religieuze bijeenkomsten zijn op basis van de grondwet uitgezonderd van de coronamaatregelen Gisteren bood de kerkenraad van de Oud Gereformeerde Gemeente in Krimpen aan den IJssel excuses aan voor "het incident" Zondagavond toonde dominee Anthonie Kort van de Mieraskerk in zijn preek begrip voor het geweld tegen journalisten "We hebben vanmorgen te maken gehad met dingen waar we best begrip voor kunnen tonen als we steeds zo getreiterd en getergd zijn Het is niet bekend hoe de kerkenraad tegen de woorden van dominee Kort aankijkt Een hulpkoster ging vanochtend met een kerkganger meteen naar de kerk om de schade op te ruimen Hij benadrukte dat er in de kerk wel degelijk coronaregels gelden "Er zit anderhalve meter tussen bezoekers En mondkapjes zijn inderdaad niet verplicht maar er zijn er wel veel die ze vrijwillig dragen." De buurtbewoner die wakker schrok door de knal zei in het NOS Radio 1 Journaal te vrezen voor nog meer incidenten "Ik ben het niet eens met alles" Aan de andere kant ken ik mensen van deze kerk Er wordt nu alleen gedaan alsof het allemaal verschrikkelijke mensen zijn." Burgemeester Vroom hoopt dat iedereen weer tot rust komt "om daarna met woorden de discussies over kerkgang Door een technische storing is rijkswaterstaat.nl op dit moment helaas niet beschikbaar Voor actuele informatie over ons werk kunt u terecht op onderstaande kanalen: Volg ons op social media om op de hoogte te blijven van de meest recente ontwikkelingen In ons webarchief vindt u een kopie van onze website, tot kort voor de storing. U kunt ook gratis bellen met de Landelijke Informatielijn van Rijkswaterstaat: 22:14Geweld Urk en Krimpen maakt veel los: 'We worden geloofsgekkies genoemd'Deel dit artikelRikki Hendriks en Maartje Geels In Krimpen aan den IJssel werd een verslaggever van RTV Rijnmond aangevallen en op Urk reed een kerkganger op een journalist van PowNed in. Ook kreeg de verslaggever enkele raken schoppen. Tineke van Urk, christelijk gereformeerd en geboren en getogen in Urk, zegt dat de incidenten met de verslaggever van PowNed het gesprek van de dag zijn in Urk. "Wat die chauffeur deed, kan echt niet. Ik hoop echt dat hij er spijt van heeft." Paul Eikelboom, Ouderling Gereformeerde Gemeenten, zegt dat hij "heel helder" wil zijn: "Agressie naar de pers kan gewoon niet. Dit is het gedrag van een paar heethoofden en dat straalt af op de hele kerkelijke gemeenschap." Van Urk ziet dat ook, maar heeft moeite met sommige reacties. "We worden nu 'geloofsgekkies' genoemd op sociale media, dat vind ik vreselijk", zegt ze. "Mensen reageren online alsof wij Urkers in een soort cocon zitten en geen televisie hebben, alsof we in een aparte wereld leven." Dat is volgens haar absoluut niet waar. "We hebben onze eigen gewoontes, dat wel. Maar heel Urk wordt nu over één kam geschoren. Er wordt gedaan alsof we gek zijn." Teunis Bunt, voorlichter van Gereformeerde Gemeenten Opheusden, noemt het geweld tegen de journalisten "triest". "Mensen te lijf gaan mag in geen enkel geval gebeuren", zegt Bunt. Ook hij denkt dat de negativiteit nu afstraalt op de hele geloofsgemeente. "Je krijgt heel veel reacties die er niet om liegen. Als dat bij bepaalde groepen gedaan wordt, zou dat discriminatie worden genoemd." Ook de christelijke partijen in de Tweede Kamer veroordelen het geweld. Zo schrijft Kees van der Staaij van de SGP op Facebook begrip te hebben voor de frustraties van kerkgangers, maar voegt daaraan toe dat "ergernis over de verstoring van zondagsrust en een opdringerige bejegening nooit een reden kan zijn voor onbesuisd optreden, laat staan voor geweld". Gert-Jan Segers, leider van de ChristenUnie, noemt de agressie van enkele kerkgangers in Krimpen en Urk "beschamend". Daar voegt hij wel aan toe: "Ik kan weinig intellectueel respect opbrengen voor mensen die in misdragingen van Gods grondpersoneel bewijs zien van de juistheid van hun eigen ongeloof." Ik snap het ook wel: je mag niet naar een voetbalwedstrijd en dit mag weer wel. Die reacties zijn zo pijnlijk omdat er weinig begrip is. Door de volle kerken staan de geloofsgemeenschappen al langer in de schijnwerpers. Bunt zegt dat hij zich wel kan voorstellen dat sommige mensen het bijzonder vinden dat mensen in de coronapandemie naar de kerk mogen. "Ik snap het ook wel weer: je mag niet naar een voetbalwedstrijd en dit mag weer wel. Die reacties zijn zo pijnlijk omdat er weinig begrip is." Eikelboom zegt dat het moeilijk is om aan de samenleving over te brengen hoe belangrijk het is om fysiek naar de kerk te blijven gaan. Maar hij vindt ook dat een kerk de ruimte waardig moet gebruiken. "En dat is dus niet: 'We schaffen alle maatregelen af en kom allemaal maar.' Het is een zoektocht. Er is een hele sterke behoefte aan de kerk, dat is echt een worsteling." Ook Van Urk gaat om de paar weken fysiek naar de kerk, vertelt ze. Eerst volgde ze alleen diensten vanuit huis via een livestream, daarna werd zij door haar kerk weer uitgenodigd om in de kerkbanken diensten bij te wonen. Ze vindt dat naar de kerk gaan ook op een verantwoorde manier kan, bijvoorbeeld door afstand te houden. "God is voor ons het belangrijkste. We moeten de regering gehoorzamen, maar dat gaat tot een bepaald punt. Uiteindelijk staat God boven alles."