The bridges and locks in the port area are regularly maintained. This helps maintain the flow of shipping traffic, promotes safety and prolongs the durability of the infrastructure. That is why, after six decades, the Boudewijn Lock underwent a major renovation.
In the Scheldt, water levels rise and fall with the tide. The outer port of Zeebrugge is also subject to the tide. Behind the locks - in the Antwerp docks or in the Zeebrugge inner port - the water level is stable. This significantly enhances the ease of loading and unloading goods. Therefore, access to the docks – via the locks – is essential for the smooth flow of goods.
An entire lock or bridge complex can be brought to a standstill by a malfunction caused by something as small as a loose wire. Periodic maintenance is therefore important. To minimise disruption, we schedule maintenance and repair work together as much as possible on a monthly out-of-service day. For guaranteed dock access during any ongoing outage, two locks should ideally be located next to each other.
Every 25 years, the technical department of Port of Antwerp-Bruges subjects the installations to a major inspection. It is responsible for preparation and follow-up. An undercarriage, for example, has to be checked every 25,000 movements. This type of undercarriage enables a lock gate to move back and forth. In Antwerp, all locks except the Royers Lock are equipped with four doors. This allows work to be carried out on one gate while the other gate keeps the lock in operation.
The Boudewijn Lock owes its name to King Baudouin who inaugurated the lock in 1955. Nowadays, it is mainly inland vessels and smaller seagoing vessels that pass through, just like the Van Cauwelaert Lock next to it. After more than 60 years of service, a major renovation of the Boudewijn Lock was needed. Take a look behind the scenes, before and after the renovation, highlighting some significant works.
"With this renovation, we guarantee the operational reliability of our installations and the continuity of traffic” -Erik De Bruyn, project expert, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
A lock gate closes off the lock. Bypass gates allow for controlled water flow around the lock gates. Both the lock gates and the bypass gates were thoroughly refurbished. Among other things, we modified the steel door structures and the adjacent concrete construction, making future maintenance easier.
We also replaced a number of components to increase the reliability, safety and service life of the entire system, such as:
Old lock gate.
Renovated lock gate.
"For major maintenance works like this, we also review the safety aspects of the installation. Today’s regulations are very different from those of 1955." -Kenneth Smith, project expert, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
In addition, we renewed the drive systems. These ensure that the lock gates open and close automatically. Modern enclosed gearboxes replace all open gear drives. Not only are they more efficient, they are also more sustainable. After all, open gears need to be lubricated frequently. In a closed gearbox, the oil remains trapped inside the housing. Greasing is required less frequently and the risk of leakage and contamination is greatly reduced.
Old drive system of one of the sluice gates.
New drive system. At the front of the image, you can see an energy-efficient electric motor that powers the hydraulic pump.
The Boudewijn Lock is not the only lock we are preparing for the future. In Antwerp, a great deal of work will be carried out in and around the de Zandvliet and Berendrecht locks – the northernmost lock complex – over the coming years. These make the region more accessible and safer. The Royers Lock - which connects the Scheldt to the Albert Canal - has also been undergoing reconstruction since 2021. As a result, even the largest inland navigation vessels will be able to pass through the lock in the future.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges is currently working with the Flemish Government to renew the Pierre Vandamme Lock in Zeebrugge. There are also plans to build a new lock in Zeebrugge, on the site of the current Visart Lock. This will create a second nautical access to the inner port.
