First international project with XblocPlus

DMC have signed a license agreement with Swiss company SEL AG for the use of XblocPlus in the Marina Porto Albania Project. The blocks envisaged to protect the marina against severe storm waves in the Adriatic Sea are 2.5m3 XblocPlus on the breakwater trunk in combination with 3m3 Xbloc units on the breakwater head. Block production is expected to start early 2019 and the objective is to complete the breakwaters by early 2020. The new Marina Porto Albania project will be the first international application of XblocPlus.

We are very pleased that only 6 months after the market introduction, XblocPlus has already been selected for 2 high profile projects. In both projects, clients have chosen for an armour layer which is economical, stable and robust, but also a solution which contributes to the aesthetic quality of the project by the beautiful placement pattern of the XblocPlus layer. The first Dutch project with XblocPlus is the iconic Afsluitdijk Project where the block is applied under the name Levvel-blocks, named after the Levvel consortium (Bam, Van Oord and Rebel) that will strengthen the dyke on behalf of Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management). (see also this link ).  

XblocPlus is a further development of the successful Xbloc which has been applied on projects around the world over the past 15 year. The new block makes breakwater construction even more reliable, faster and more efficient. Compared to other blocks in the market, XblocPlus requires significantly less concrete and less blocks to cover the same breakwater. This leads to reduction in material quantities, time, effort and in the carbon footprint of breakwater construction. Furthermore, due to the similarity to roof tiles, the regular block placement of the new unit is fast, safe and efficient. Last but not least XblocPlus gives breakwaters and shore protections a very smooth and beautiful look.

The XblocPlus and the Xbloc both have their strengths and benefits which will be used in the Marina Porto Albania Project. The XblocPlus will be applied on the straight and mildly curved breakwater sections where the blocks can be placed fast and efficiently in the rooftile pattern whereas the flexibility of the original Xbloc unit will be used on the breakwater heads where it provides protection on the sharply curved surface area.