With a symbolic press of a red button, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Belgian King Philippe officially opened the Nieuwe Sluis in Terneuzen. The construction of this massive sea lock took over seven years to complete and, although located on Dutch soil, primarily serves to improve access for sea vessels to the Belgian city of Ghent.
Early this morning, dozens of spectators lined the waterfront in Terneuzen sharing the excitement of Two kings was quite special. But they were not just there for royalty. After all the cranes and constructions, it is something to be proud of now, seeing the result.
For project director Eric Marteijn, it was a particularly emotional day. After years of involvement in the construction, he is retiring. “I didn’t need an alarm clock this morning. Apart from my wedding day, this is the most exciting day of my life. I feel proud, and the key is to enjoy today,” he said.
The Nieuwe Sluis is an engineering marvel, measuring 427 meters long, 55 meters wide, and almost 16.5 meters deep. This makes it one of the largest locks in the world, comparable to those in the Panama Canal and only slightly smaller than the IJmuiden Sea Lock, which opened in 2022.
Initial plans for the Nieuwe Sluis date back to 2011, with Belgium and the Netherlands signing off on construction four years later. The need for a larger sea lock primarily came from Belgium, as the previous Terneuzen complex was no longer sufficient for the larger sea vessels bound for Ghent.
It’s no surprise, then, that Flanders covered around 80% of the project’s costs, amounting to approximately €1.2 billion—around 25% more than initially budgeted. The Netherlands contributed a few hundred million euros, while the European Union provided a small portion of funding.
The opening, originally planned for 2022, was delayed due to unforeseen challenges. COVID-19 restrictions reduced the number of workers allowed on-site, and essential lock components from China arrived late. Further delays were caused by the discovery of PFAS in the soil and inflation driven by the war in Ukraine, pushing costs even higher. “You can’t budget for these issues in advance, so it ended up costing more,” the project director noted last year.
The project emphasized collaboration between the Netherlands and Flanders, highlighted by the presence of both kings at today’s event. From an electric ship, they jointly opened the Nieuwe Sluis.
Naming the lock was another story. A special commission was formed, but in the end, the working title “Nieuwe Sluis” stuck. However, a new name was chosen for the entire lock complex: “Noordzeesluizen” (North Sea Locks).
The construction process wasn’t entirely smooth. The old Middensluis, over a century old, had to be demolished to make way for the new structure, but a miscalculation during the explosion led to significant damage. The explosion, which used too much dynamite, was heard kilometers away, and nearly 200 people reported damages, including cracked buildings and broken windows. The project leader called this incident “a blemish on our record.” After further investigation, the demolition was completed months later.
For Terneuzen’s mayor, Erik van Merrienboer, the opening is a landmark achievement. “It’s not just a new link in logistics infrastructure. For Terneuzen and our region, it’s so much more,” he said, expressing hopes that the lock would spur growth along the Gent-Terneuzen canal and create more jobs in the area.
The Nieuwe Sluis will also shorten waiting times for inland vessels, which use the canal primarily on routes between Rotterdam, Ghent, and Paris. Although these vessels don’t always head directly to Belgium, they frequently load and unload cargo at businesses along the canal.
Despite today’s opening, the lock won’t be operating at full capacity immediately, a spokesperson explained. “The lock is so large that staff need to practice first.” This training phase will take several months, with gradually larger ships passing through as the staff gain experience.
Source:NOS
