News

Brief study on airport in the sea

What would be the costs and benefits to society of moving Schiphol Airport to an island in the North Sea? To find out, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management commissioned us to carry out a brief study.

The greatest benefits would be improved quality of life in the area around Schiphol, more space for development, and the growth of aviation. The primary costs would relate to construction expenses; reachability of CO2 reduction goals; visibility from coastal areas, impacting tourism and recreation; interim investment at the current location; and lost time due to transport connections.

A call for tenders was made in response to a motion by the Dutch House of Representatives. The House requested an analysis of the current state of technology as compared to findings in previous studies looking at moving the airport to the sea. The study will serve as input for the government’s 2020–2050 aviation policy memorandum, which will appear later this year.

View study (in Dutch)