New sea lock to Ghent port still unused after a month: “Bridges not strong enough”

A little over a month ago, the new sea lock in Terneuzen was ceremonially inaugurated by the kings of Holland and Belgium. But at this time the lock cannot be used. Research has shown that the bridges over the lock are not strong enough. As a result, not a single boat can pass since it was opened.

The New Lock in Terneuzen is a new, wider and deeper lock that allows large ships to navigate the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. It is expected that the ships will eventually be able to sail further to Ghent. The lock cost 1.2 billion euros and took 7 years to complete. Flanders, the Netherlands and Europe have provided the necessary funds. But after the official opening a report showed that there was still some work to be done to achieve a 100 year life.

“That was not expected. The final inspection, after the opening, showed that additional work was still needed. The bridges that were delivered did not have the required quality. This became evident during test exercises and based on new dimensions. Our intention is for the bridges to last a century and that is not possible without the necessary changes,” said the environmental manager.