Week of 3 August
1. Shellharbour Hospital reaches new heights (Australia)
Bravo! The new Shellharbour Hospital in New South Wales has reached its topping-out phase, marking a significant step forward in the delivery of a world-class healthcare facility for the Illawarra region. With construction now progressing on the façade and internal fit-out, the project remains on track for completion in late 2027. The new hospital will expand emergency, surgical, maternity, mental health and rehabilitation services, bringing more care closer to home.
Behind this milestone lies a remarkable collective effort. Nearly 500 people are currently working on site, with local expertise playing a central role in the project's success. Kudos to our colleagues at BESIX Watpac for keeping the project moving forward and improving healthcare in the region.
2. What a difference six months make (Latvia)
Six months can make quite a difference! Compare the latest images with those from January, and the transformation is impossible to miss. Since January 2026, significant progress has been made at Riga Central Station, and our teams in Latvia are working hard to reach the Substantial Completion Milestone.
The station is steadily taking on its final architectural identity, with more than 1,500 m² of glass panels now defining the space. Finishing works, including tiling, ceilings and cladding, are progressing well throughout the station and passenger access facilities. MEP installations (Mechanical, electrical and plumbing) are on track, while testing of equipment and networks is underway. Meanwhile, the tower cranes have disappeared from the skyline, making way for the first landscaping works around the station. Keep it up, teams! Riga is rising.
3. Navegantes welcomes special guests (Brazil)
At the Port of Navegantes in Santa Catarina, our teams are helping modernise a strategic quay that will accommodate some of the world's largest container vessels. The project recently welcomed a delegation including the Consulate, Flanders Investment & Trade and representatives of Belgian companies, offering an opportunity to showcase our BESIX's infrastructure expertise on site.
The Consul General was not the only visitor. Jan Van Steirteghem, COO of BESIX Construction, also had the opportunity to see first-hand the impressive progress on the quay wall extension. The next 200 metres of quay wall are on track for delivery, marking a major milestone as the project enters its final stretch. The collaboration between BESIX and Franki Foundations continues to demonstrate the strength of our one-stop-shop approach across the Atlantic, with valuable support on both the piles and diaphragm wall works. With only four diaphragm wall panels remaining to be completed by mid-August, the finish line is now clearly in sight. A big thank you to Denis Mohamed, Maxime Arpigny and Raphael Palmeira for sharing their expertise and bringing the project to life for visitors on site.
4. Today's visitors, tomorrow's builders (Belgium)
A crane simulator, a welding activity and construction plans to decipher: for a group of young visitors, the Matisse site in Evere became a classroom unlike any other. Through the KiddyBuild initiative, created by the BESIX Foundation, pupils from ToekomstAtelierDelAvenir (TADA) stepped behind the fences to discover the many faces of the construction industry.
Organised together with our colleagues from Jacques Delens, the visit offered a hands-on introduction to life on site, from understanding how a construction project operates to exploring some of the technical skills involved. Judging by the many questions, discoveries and enthusiastic reactions, the experience left a lasting impression. What a day it was! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed their time and expertise to make this inspiring experience possible.
