MARKER WADDEN

The Marker Wadden is a unique project that contributes to the restoration of nature in Markermeer by constructing islands with sand, clay and sludge from the bottom of Markermeer. The first island of Marker Wadden is open to the public! The islands are still under construction, but Haveneiland has been open to the public since 8 September 2018. A nature paradise where visitors can enjoy a new beach, new hiking trails and new bird watching spots. Natuurmonumenten, the manager of the Markerwadden, expects the growth in the number of visitors in the coming years to rise to as many as 300,000 visitors. Good facilities and good access to the island are then required.

The harbor of Marker Wadden is the place where you arrive when travelling to the Marker Wadden by boat. It is currently a natural harbor, suitable for the berth of private boats and charters. At the moment there is no regular ferry service yet; that is still being worked on. The harbor is easily accessible with your own boat and there are various charters that offer trips to the Marker Wadden.

At the beginning of 2019, the Municipality of Lelystad and Natuurmonumenten commissioned BLOC to investigate the possibilities for a ferry connection between Lelystad and the first island of the Marker Wadden. These results were presented on the 23rd of July. It sets out the conditions under which such a ferry service can be operationalized. The necessary infrastructure adjustments, the possible ship to be deployed with accompanying financial business case, the exploitation possibilities (in different scenarios), the market potential and an initial market consultation of potential operators were explained and discussed.

The most important conclusion is that a professional and frequent ferry service with a nautically and commercially matching ship is possible. At the same time, further elaboration is needed on a number of the above issues, an important question as to whether the operation of the ferry service from a public transport concession or on the basis of a commercial operation is not yet answered, a further and more extensive market consultation is necessary and a definitive answer must be given to the questions with which ship can be sailed, when and under which (financial) conditions. This is to come to a definitive decision and follow-up steps. That is why the municipality of Lelystad has asked BLOC to organize the necessary input in the autumn. In other words: