On Friday 11 October, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and His Majesty the King of the Belgians Filip jointly opened the New Lock in Terneuzen. This official ceremony underlines the important milestone for the Netherlands, Belgium, and the North Sea Port.
King Willem-Alexander and King Filip performed the official opening ceremony on the Z9, an electric ship. The ceremony was accompanied by a parade of patrol, tug and pilot boats. A historic moment, because the 427-metre New Lock housed a seagoing vessel for the first time, the M/V Bregaglia. With the departure of the 240-metre-long and 38-metre-wide ocean-going vessel towards ArcelorMittal, the New Lock was officially inaugurated.
After the official act, the royals interacted with representatives of companies using the North Sea locks, notably ArcelorMittal Belgium, Sea-Invest, Verbrugge Terminals Terneuzen, Ovet and DFDS Seaways. After the cruise, the kings visited the lock platform of the New Lock, where they were explained about its construction and operation.
Construction of the New Lock was not without setbacks. Originally, the complex was supposed to be delivered at the end of 2022. Among the issues that delayed construction were Covid, the presence of PFAS in the soil and the discovery of objects in the subsoil that needed to be removed.
Also read: Bridges and doors about to be installed at New Lock in Terneuzen
Greater maritime access
The joint opening by the kings underlines the cross-border importance of the New Lock in Terneuzen. The New Lock adds a second, larger sea lock to the North Sea Port port area. It will provide better access and a faster flow for shipping from the North Sea to the Western Scheldt and the Ghent Canal to Terneuzen.
The arrival of the New Lock will create new economic activities and employment in both the Zeeland Flanders region and in and around the Canal Zone. It increases the capacity of the North Sea locks: more ships can pass through the three locks at the same time, reducing waiting time for seagoing and inland vessels.
Also read: Completion of Terneuzen sea lock delayed again
Cooperation between the Netherlands and Flanders
The New Lock was commissioned by the Flemish-Dutch Scheldt Commission, a partnership between the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works. Construction of the New Lock started in 2017 within the existing lock complex in Terneuzen, in the North Sea Port port area. The Middle Lock, in use since 1910, made way for the New Lock.
In 2023, 56,000 ships passed through the lock complex. This number is expected to grow to 96,000 in 2040. Apart from ships passing through the complex towards the hinterland or the North Sea, the lock complex is an important access route for road traffic. It also makes up part of the region’s primary flood defence and water management system.
The opening of the New Lock in Terneuzen is not an end point, but the beginning of the further economic development of the cross-border port area North Sea Port.
Picture: Opening of the New Lock on 11 October, with a seagoing vessel passing through for the first time, the M/V Bregaglia (photo by North Sea Port).
