A ground-breaking ceremony has taken place for the new Terneuzen lock in the Netherlands.
The lock will be 427 metres long, 55 metres wide and will have a depth of 16 metres when it becomes operational in 2022. It will be built within the current lock complex, between the Western and Eastern locks.
The Terneuzen lock complex links the Western Scheldt with the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, which is one of Europe's busiest canals.
The Flemish-Dutch Scheldt Commission (Vlaams-Nederlandse Scheldecommissie) awarded the Sassevaart joint venture the €753 million (US$888 million) contract in September.
The joint venture consists of BAM (BAM Infra and BAM Contractors), DEME (DEME Infra Marine Contractors and Dredging International) and the Belgian contractor Algemene Aannemingen Van Laere.
DEME said the lock would provide better access to the ports of Ghent and Terneuzen, and a faster shipping flow between the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
