Week of 3 March 2025
1. Strong progress at Aramco Stadium (Dammam, KSA)
February marked an important milestone for the Aramco Stadium project, as the structure reached its highest level, paving the way for the first steel structural support to be installed on the East core wall. Meanwhile, all complex Y columns in the North and South sections are now in place, and work is progressing on the raker beams in the East and West stands—these will soon support the stadium’s seating areas.
At the same time, our OASIS safety initiative hit a major achievement, reaching 25,000 recorded safety observations! The Aramco Stadium project played a key role, contributing 6,799 observations (27.2%). The 25,000th observation was made by Muhammad Ayaz, HSE Inspector, who identified a serious hazard: workers stepping out of a man lift basket—a clear violation of Life Saving Rule 1 – Working at Height. Thanks to his vigilance, the activity was stopped immediately, preventing a potential accident. This is exactly the kind of proactive safety culture we need across all sites.
Observing, reporting, and acting on risks saves lives.
2. Giant beasts at the Canal Tunnels (Antwerp, Belgium)
In Antwerp, our teams in the ROCO joint venture are making strong progress on the canal tunnels, a critical part of the Oosterweel Link project. These tunnels, made up of four stacked tubes, will connect the Antwerp Ring Road with the southern port area.
A major technical operation is currently underway, led by Franki Foundations. Over the next seven months, the team will install nearly 250 large bored piles, ranging from 1.5 to 2 metres in diameter! This is no small feat, drilling through 10 metres of solid concrete in a tight, highly complex environment requires a combination of precision, expertise, and teamwork.
A key moment for the site was the arrival of the Bauer BG 45 machine—a titan capable of drilling tubed piles 2 metres in diameter to a depth of 20 metres! This equipment will play a crucial role in preparing the ground for the future tunnels. A huge thank you to all the teams working tirelessly in these demanding conditions!
Check out the latest video released by the JV!
3. World first at Triangle (Paris, France)
This week marked a major innovation on the Triangle project in Paris, with the inauguration of the first self-climbing construction lift that will later be transformed into a permanent double-deck elevator.
Developed by OTIS, the SkyBuild system is a self-climbing construction elevator designed to enhance efficiency and safety during the building process. It enables work crews to access the highest completed floors, reducing reliance on traditional external hoists. As construction progresses, the SkyBuild elevator ascends in single-floor increments, keeping pace with the building's growth. Once the project is complete, it transitions into a permanent elevator. Incorporating a double-deck configuration, the elevator system accommodates two elevator cars within a single shaft. This design reduces the number of elevator hoistways required, potentially increasing rentable space by up to 40%.
Triangle, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, will stand 180 metres tall and feature a large variety of accommodations. This inauguration was a nice milestone for this project, bringing cutting-edge engineering and efficiency to the heart of Paris!
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4. First section of the railway bridge completed (Riga, Latvia)
Exciting progress in Riga, where the BERERIX joint venture continues work on the Rail Baltica Central Station project. This project includes a new central station building, railway embankment, and track works, along with a new railway bridge over the River Daugava.
This weekend, a key achievement was reached: the first bridge section was completed, with the connecting span between two key piers successfully concreted. This marks the first major structural link between the bridge pier on Radziņa krastmalā and the structures on the riverbank.
With every milestone, this ambitious project brings the Rail Baltica vision closer to reality, strengthening connectivity across the Baltic region.
And then this... Winter training - on the road and at work
Last Friday, BESIX organised a winter safety training session for its site employees and workers. The day was packed with interactive workshops covering essential topics such as defensive driving on icy roads, speed awareness, obstacle management, and stress control behind the wheel. In addition to road safety, the session also focused on well-being at work, reinforcing the link between mindset, focus, and overall safety.
It was a fantastic day filled with learning, teamwork, and great energy! A huge thank you to all the participants for their engagement and commitment to making safety a top priority—whether on the road or on site.
