As part of a high level Dutch trade mission to Indonesia, Royal HaskoningDHV has managed to secure two contracts as part of the development of the $300 million Kuala Tanjung Port, as well as enter discussions to pilot a hospital development project in the country of more than 260 million peopale.
A consortium of Dutch Government officials, including Prime Minister Rutte, Ministers Schultz van Haegen and State Secretary Dijksmarecent, recently travelled to Indonesia on a trade mission. A number of Dutch businesses joined the mission, including professional services firm Royal HaskoningDHV.
The mission, aside from drumming up mutually beneficial business and political ties between the countries, whose history dates back centuries, also involves collaboration on a number of different projects, from a CEO summit focused on improving the working relationship between Dutch and Indonesian businesses, to investment and collaboration programmes in key sectors, from hospitals to shipping. Additionally, a key discussion point on the agenda related to efforts in solving a pressing problem for Jakarta: the city is sinking at 10 centimetres per year due to unsustainable use of groundwater from beneath the city – endangering up to 5 million people in the north of the city that face immanent flooding. The Dutch government, through the Dutch water sector, is involved in the development process for a lasting solution to sustainable water management for the city.
Regarding the work, Royal HaskoningDHV Indonesia Resident Director Berte Simons, remarks “Since the Indonesian government asked the Dutch government for assistance in 2007, the Dutch water sector is contributing to a lasting solution to sustainable water management of the city. No small task in this area where space is scarce, stakeholder interests are large and government budgets limited. We are proud to contribute to the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) strategy that not only should be a sanitation, water supply, civil and hydraulic engineering feat but also one in which inclusive urban and socio-economic solutions are key.”
For Royal HaskoningDHV, with around 350 employees working on projects for production sites in the country, the mission thus far resulted in signing two contracts with the Indonesian port operator Pelindo I for the development of Kuala Tanjung Port in North Sumatra. The port, which is expected to cost around $300 million, is part of the country’s wider maritime highway vision led by President Joko Widodo – which includes a total of 24 new strategic ports in the country. The value of the contracts for Royal HaskoningDHV has not been disclosed.
Members from Royal HaskoningDHV’s healthcare practice, including Eduard Boonstra, the firm’s Business developer for the segment, also took part in trade discussions surrounding hospital development in Indonesia. The country, whose healthcare expenditure falls in the middle range in relation to its neighbours, offers considerable opportunities for joint benefit from work with Dutch providers – the country has one of the world’s most effective healthcare systems. The firm will work on a pilot project to deliver economically viable hospital designs that are able to contribute to the improvement of the public as well private health sector in Indonesia.
Eduard Boonstra, remarks, “Together with the Ministry of Health, BPJS and local health authorities, we expect to work on a pilot project after successfully having performed a feasibility study regarding the improvement of the primary care system in Yogyakarta within the framework of Universal Health Coverage. We are proud to be recognised by leading Indonesia hospital operators as integrated design partner in the development of modern, efficient and patient safe hospitals which enable us to further build up our track record in Indonesia.”