Water is of vital importance to a port and its surroundings. It is important that sufficient clean water flows through the port. This is essential to ensure the port's nautical accessibility at all times and to guanrantee that industrial processes continue to run.
Climate change is bringing risks, such as flooding, but also drought. How do we ensure that our port is up to the challenge and that there is enough water in our docks? In other words, how do we ensure a transition to a climate-adaptive port?
Therefore we use water as sparingly as possible. We also encourage companies in the port area to recycle water or use water sources other than drinking water. The emphasis in this regard is on internal water saving, smart water use, closing water cycles between companies and guaranteed water availability for port and industry.
Consequently, we inventorised all sources and water losses from the docks through the KULeuven water balance model. This allowed us to calculate scenarios such as the impact of climate change (sea level rise and longer drier periods). To get a better overview of the losses and to optimize the operation of the locks, we trace leaks at the level of these sea locks.
With the dock level management application, we give the coordination centre more insight into future rainfall and the tides of the Scheldt river so they can take action to keep the dock level at the right mark. In collaboration with several partners, we installed a range of smart sensors in the Antwerp docks. These probes measure, among other things, the conductivity or salinity and temperature of the dock water
In cases of extreme drought, we are studying whether it is possible in Antwerp to send water from the Scheldt to the docks and the Albert Canal via a pumping installation.
In Zeebrugge, the situation is different because the docks and the Baudouin canal are supplied from the Ghent-Bruges canal. In the event of extreme drought, the upper flow rate may be temporarily insufficient in this regard. Care is taken to ensure that during seasonal changes, the salt water from the sea does not penetrate far inland.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges encourages the reuse of water flows within a company and between companies themselves. In this way, we are aiming to close water cycles and ensure that as little water as possible is lost.
A few examples:
Good water quality in the port is important – not just for the fauna and flora, but for the surrounding companies too. They use dock water for some of their processes. That's why we monitor the water quality and organise clean-up campaigns. In this way, we are making the transition to a Clean Port.
Fish don't just need clean water. They also need plenty to eat. Making smooth quay walls rougher, for example, creates a refuge where small aquatic animals can live. And fish love that. To ensure that fish also reproduce in the harbour, a "spawning zone" has been created at the Lillo Bridge in Antwerp. This is a safe place where fish can lay their eggs undisturbed.
The fish swim through a tube in the quay wall to the spawning area. When they are big enough, the newborn fish swim to the harbour and the Scheldt. As such, we are protecting and stimulating acquatic life.
Water doesn't stop at the boundaries of the port area. As such, in terms of both quantity and quality, we are consulting with various stakeholders and other watercourse managers. In addition, we follow the European and Flemish regulations and in our role as regulator, we ensure clear regulations, for example from the Port Police Regulations and the updated concession policy.
