Arcadis win Port of Calais work

expat network

Arcadis win Port of Calais work

Arcadis has been appointed as lead engineer by the Bouygues-led joint venture that is expanding the Port of Calais for the €675m (£492m) scheme.

Arcadis will lead the engineering work from the final design to the detailed design including site supervision during construction. Arcadis’ fee for the project is €20m (£14.6m), with the contract running until the end of 2020.

The extension of the Port of Calais involves building a new 3.3km long breakwater. Phase one includes three ferry piers and a service berth for tugs. The new terminal will be located on a 44ha site on reclaimed land, which will be equipped for passenger and freight traffic facilities.

Luc Hellemans, CEO of Arcadis France said: “This is a tremendous project to work on. Calais is one of the busiest ports in Europe, and this extension will enable it to meet its capacity demands for a long time to come. We have worked on the development of Calais’ port for many years, so we are very much looking forward to being involved in developing this next-generation port.”

Source: The Construction Index

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.