Royal HaskoningDHV

Royal HaskoningDHV. It is a global engineering consultancy and project management firm originating from the Netherlands. The company provides advisory, design, and engineering services across a wide range of sectors, including water management, aviation, maritime infrastructure, and urban development. With a history spanning over 160 years, it operates in more than 30 countries, delivering projects that aim to enhance societal resilience and sustainable development.

History

The firm's origins trace back to 1861 when Johannes van Hasselt and Jacobus de Koning founded an engineering bureau in Rotterdam, which later became known as Haskoning. The consultancy initially focused on hydraulic engineering and land reclamation projects within the Netherlands, contributing significantly to national water defense systems like the Zuiderzee Works. In 1916, a separate entity, DHV, was established by Cornelis Lely and others, which also grew into a major Dutch engineering firm. The two companies operated independently for decades, with Haskoning expanding internationally into regions like Africa and Asia, while DHV became known for its work in environmental engineering and spatial planning. Their merger in 2012, following earlier collaborations on major projects such as the Maasvlakte 2 expansion in the Port of Rotterdam, created the present-day entity. The "Royal" designation was granted by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in 2014, recognizing its longstanding contributions to Dutch society and engineering.

Services and sectors

The company's core services encompass feasibility studies, master planning, detailed design, and construction supervision. Its expertise is organized around key market sectors, most prominently water technology and maritime infrastructure, where it works on coastal protection, port development, and river basin management. In aviation, it provides consultancy on airport planning, terminal design, and air traffic management for clients like Schiphol Airport and London City Airport. The buildings and industry sector focuses on sustainable industrial plant design, logistics facilities, and healthcare architecture. Additionally, its urban and regional planning teams work on resilient cities, transport networks, and environmental impact assessments, often in collaboration with institutions like the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.

Global operations

With its headquarters in Amersfoort, the firm maintains a substantial network of offices across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. In the United Kingdom, it has been involved in major programs like the Thames Tideway Tunnel and provides services to Network Rail. Its operations in South Africa, based in Cape Town and Johannesburg, have a strong focus on water resource management and transportation infrastructure. Across Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore, it is active in port engineering and flood risk management. The company also executes projects in the United States, often through partnerships with local firms like Arcadis, and has a growing presence in Australia working on climate adaptation strategies.

Notable projects

Historically, the firm contributed to the Delta Works, a seminal series of constructions in the Netherlands to protect against North Sea flooding. In the United Kingdom, it designed the award-winning London Array, one of the world's largest offshore wind farms in the Thames Estuary. For aviation, it provided the master plan for the expansion of Mombasa International Airport in Kenya and the design of the new terminal at Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan. Major maritime projects include the land reclamation and port design for the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai and the container terminal development at the Port of Tanjung Priok in Indonesia. More recently, it has been involved in urban water projects like the Room for the River program in the Netherlands and coastal defense schemes for Miami-Dade County in the United States.

Corporate structure

The company is a privately held entity, owned by its management and employees through a foundation structure, which is common among Dutch engineering firms. It is governed by an executive board, chaired by Erik Oostwegel, and overseen by a supervisory board. Operations are divided into regional business units—such as Netherlands, United Kingdom & Ireland, and Asia—and global market sector teams. The firm emphasizes digital transformation, investing in technologies like Building Information Modeling and digital twins through its Innovation & Solutions division. It maintains partnerships with academic institutions, including Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University & Research, and adheres to international standards set by organizations like the International Organization for Standardization.

Category:Engineering consulting firms Category:Companies based in Utrecht (province) Category:Companies established in 1861