For better traffic flow on waterways

Erlangen, Germany – The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) has received an order from the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Directorate-General for Public Works; Division Zeeland, to automate four locks and set up a central control station. The system will help to improve inland lock operations in the province of Zeeland. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2008 and the order is worth 8.7 million euros.

The waterways play a very important part in the traffic infrastructure of the Netherlands. More than 50 canals wind through the country, which covers over 41,000 square kilometers. No other country has such as dense network of waterways that stretches over hundreds of kilometers.

The locks in the province of Zeeland have been individually controlled locally up to now. Accordingly, the technical and personnel costs involved in looking after each individual lock are very high. The local transport authority of Zeeland province has decided to centralize lock operations and install the latest technology. First of all, four locks will be fitted with new Simatic automation systems from Siemens and will be operated from the new Ir. J. W. Topshuis station at the mouth of the Oosterschelde. Remote control will enable the bridges and locks to be operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week after the project is completed. Siemens is supplying the corresponding central control and monitoring system as well. Apart from the control equipment, Siemens is to supply the communication infrastructure, camera monitoring equipment, the power supply system as well as safety devices. Moreover, the control station can be expanded as necessary so that dozens of additional locks can be linked up to it whenever necessary. The contract also includes maintenance for an initial period of two years. Siemens was chosen to supply these items because the company was able to make the best value offer and deliver superior overall lifecycle costs.

This order is the fifth Siemens project for lock automation in the Netherlands in the last three years.

The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses its own products and systems and process technologies in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, airport logistics, postal automation, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2007 (to September 30) I&S employed a total of 37,000 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 8.894 billion, according to U.S. GAAP.