Kieldrecht lock, Antwerp | Increased reliability for bridges in the Port of Antwerp

The opening of the Kieldrecht lock meant added value for the port of Antwerp and our country in general. Although four bridges were provided for in the original building application, only two were actually built. The rail infrastructure was also not yet in place, which meant that only internal transport between the port terminals was possible. THV Kieldrecht Bridges, under the direction of the Maritime Access Department, now built and installed the two remaining bridges to improve the flow of traffic and shipping in the port.

The two bridge basements, however, had already been built in the first phase. The biggest challenge was fitting the bridges into those basements.

On June 10, 2016, the Kieldrecht Lock was solemnly inaugurated. It was - and still is today - the largest lock in the world in terms of volume: 500 meters long, 68 meters wide and 17.8 meters deep. But as gigantic as the dimensions are, the construction had to be done precisely to the smallest detail: the two lock doors per "head," the lock chamber, eleven buildings, two bascule bridges, four bridge cellars, as well as the mechanisms to open and close doors and bridges.

"Thanks to the Kieldrecht lock, the port of Antwerp was able to provide an appropriate response to the increase in scale in shipping traffic and thus strengthen its position in Europe," says Sofie Nullens, project manager at the Maritime Access Department. "We manage and operate the maritime access routes to the Flemish seaports and the structures and properties along them. We also ensure the construction and maintenance of the basic infrastructure in the seaports, such as the locks, dams, palisades, railroad verges and green areas, including the access roads to and from the port area."

Kieldrecht lock completed with two bridges

To further improve traffic flow, but certainly to avoid problems in the event of a problem or maintenance on one of the bridges, it was decided to build and install the two remaining basule bridges. "In the original construction application, four bridges were planned. One road bridge and one mixed rail/road bridge each were to be built on each lock head. However, the two ordinary road bridges did not materialize, but the bridge basements were provided," Nullens points out. "The task now was to build and make operational the two missing road bridges: one at each head and each just next to the existing bridges. Each bridge is 100 m long, 15 m wide and 21 m high, weighs 1,500 tons and has two lanes of traffic."

The bridges were installed very precisely on the existing basements. It was a real feat to transport both bridges and get them in the right place.

A very challenging project

This project was one full of challenges. The biggest lay in fitting the bridges into the existing basements. After all, there was only a few centimeters of clearance there. Moreover, the bridges had to be transported in one piece on a pontoon from the shipyard in the Kluizendok in Ghent to the Deurganckdok.

After installation, the THV Kieldrecht bridges were given three weeks for complete assembly, after which the bridges were put into vertical position until they are put into service in the summer.

"When the pontoon arrived at the dock, the bridges first had to be turned 90°, because for balance they were on it lengthwise. For this, a self-propelled modular transporter with sixty axles and two hundred and forty wheels was used," Nullens explains this feat. "On April 8, the Arenberg Bridge was installed next to the existing Prosper Bridge. The bridge was first pushed up until it came above the quay wall. Then the pontoon sailed in the wharf to where the bridge needed to be, and once it was accurately positioned, the team gently lowered it. The St. Anna Bridge was placed next to the Chainis Bridge on April 11 using the same process."

After installation, the THV Kieldrecht bridges were given three weeks for complete assembly, after which the bridges were put into vertical position until they are put into service in the summer.