The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has completed the first phase of works on the ICO terminal, namely the dredging and disposal of nearly 1 million cubic metres of sand and clay soil.
Belgian dredging company DEME moved just under 1 million cubic metres of dredged material. As a result, ICO now has some 600 metres of additional quayside for RoRo ships.
DEME excavated the upper soil layer of some 600 metres along the quayside; the lower layer was dredged to a level of -8.5 mTAW. As a result, the permitted depth at the terminal has become the same as that of the existing moorings. The works will allow two additional RoRo ships to dock.
A second part of the work involves excavating excess soil on the port site itself to level the area and make it ready for construction. Finally, ICO will equip the RoRo terminal with parking lanes and parking garages for cars as well as facilities for vehicle inspection.
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The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is using the excavated land to level other sites within the port and to prepare the lorry car park along Emmanuel De Cloedtweg. The new docking facilities at the quayside will allow delivered vehicles to travel a shorter distance to their temporary staging area on the site.
Further landscaping of some 32 acres of the terminal in a subsequent phase will also significantly reduce the distance between the parking garages and the internal railway. The project will optimise operations at the terminal and reduce relative CO2 emissions, according to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Dirk De fauw, Vice Chairman of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges Board of Directors: “The development of the Southern Canal Dock strengthens our position as one of the most important European gateways.
“This is good news both internationally and locally as the dredged sand and clay soil will be used both for the further construction of the terminal itself, as well as for the lorry car park a little further down the road.”
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Rob Smeets, COO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges: “This project is a textbook example of port expansion: making smart use of existing space and infrastructure.
“The development of the site and the reduction in distance to the internal railway that comes with it provides a boost in modal shift.”
In April 2024, the first concessionaires signed contracts for NextGen Demo, the innovation hub located in the heart of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
