Mammoet completed the installation of the second of five new railway bridges at Amsterdam Centraal Station, marking another milestone in the redevelopment of one of the Netherlands’ busiest rail hubs.
The bridge replacement forms part of ProRail’s High Frequency Rail Transport Programme, which includes track upgrades, infrastructure improvements and civil works designed to increase the number of trains operating to and from the station. Working alongside construction company Dura Vermeer, Mammoet managed the load out, transport and installation of three steel bridge sections manufactured by Hollandia Infra. The largest sections measured 28.5 metres in length and weighed 275 tonnes.
To minimise disruption in the heart of Amsterdam, the bridge sections travelled by barge instead of road. Once at the station, they were manoeuvred beneath a low footbridge, rotated 90 degrees using Self Propelled Modular Transporters and lifted into position using specialised hydraulic lifting equipment.
Unlike the first bridge replacement completed in 2025, where Mammoet’s Mega Jack 300 system was used for the final lift, the second installation required a different approach because of the limited working space between existing bridge structures.
Leo de Vette, Project Manager at Mammoet, said, “Previously, we used our Mega Jack 300 system and SPMTs to lift and rotate all deck sections on the deck of the barge and then drive them off and into position. This time, however, we are working between two bridges, so we had to consider the decks and columns of the old bridges, as well as those of the new bridge we installed last year.”
A four point hydraulic lifting system assembled on the quayside enabled the bridge sections to be accurately positioned. Each bridge section took approximately one week to install.
