In 1894, Nicolaas van Haaren’s firm was awarded the first contract for hydraulic engineering works on the Lower Scheldt, between Antwerp and the Dutch border, marking a major turning point in the enterprise’s history.

Aiming to improve the navigability of the river, the works were a prerequisite for the further development of the Port of Antwerp. The scope included dredging the access channel, modifying sections of the riverbed and depositing the dredged material in designated polders on the left bank, particularly in the Melsele area.

This important contract placed Nicolaas van Haaren and Hendrik Willem Ackermans firmly within the domain of large-scale port infrastructure projects and established a long-term involvement in the development of Antwerp as a major maritime hub. From that moment onwards, the company became structurally involved in successive port extensions, access improvements and works along the Scheldt.

Over the decades, the river has become our home turf: a place where expertise has been built up, refined and passed on through the generations. That enduring relationship is also reflected in the company’s fleet. Throughout our history, several vessels have carried the name Schelde or Scheldt, underlining the importance of the river to our identity and activities.

Today, that tradition continues with our hopper dredger Scheldt River, where the crew on board are working on the Scheldt regularly, adding their own chapter to a story that began more than a century ago.