KERKHOVE – The Flemish Waterway has announced the commencement of an information market focused on the reconstruction of the lock system in Kerkhove, located near Avelgem.

This restoration initiative aims to accommodate larger ships, necessitating upgrades across all three lock systems on the Upper Scheldt canal.

Local residents attended the information market to learn about the impending lock construction.

The primary objective of the renovations is to allow for the transit of ships with increased dimensions, while also making significant updates to the existing lock structure.

The modernization project is part of a broader strategy designed to improve the efficiency of water transportation.

The Flemish Waterway aims to enhance the infrastructure of the canal that connects Ghent to Wallonia and France.

"The weirs have already been renovated, but we also want to tackle the lock complexes themselves and build additional locks," stated Geert Weymeis from the Flemish Waterway.

According to Weymeis, the current locks, which were constructed starting in the 1920s, are not adequately sized to accommodate the increasing dimensions of maritime vessels.

"In Kerkhove, we will renovate the existing lock and, in the long term, a new lock will be added.

We will fit it between the weirs that regulate the water level and the existing lock," he explained.

The proposed renovations will facilitate the passage of ships measuring up to 185 meters in length, which can transport cargo equivalent to the capacity of approximately 220 trucks.

The Flemish Waterway has ambitions to initiate these developments in the coming year.

The importance of modernizing the Upper Scheldt Canal's lock systems is underscored by its role as a critical freight corridor, with current limitations capping the canal's annual traffic at 10 million tons.

The original designs from the 1920s restrict vessels to a maximum length of 110 meters and a tonnage limit of 1,150 tons.

Future enhancements are geared towards enabling the passage of Class Va standard ships, which can carry between 2,500 and 3,000 tons of cargo.

This €150 million modernization project will address the renovation of all three lock facilities, including those at Asper, Oudenaarde, and Kerkhove, with a completion target set for 2030.

The need for upgrading these bottlenecks is vital, as failure to address them may result in a shift of freight to road transport.

This shift could exacerbate congestion and heighten emissions, countering climate initiatives.

The recent expansion of the Albert Canal in Flanders led to a 20% increase in cargo capacity, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of modernized waterways.

The Kerkhove lock improvements align with the EU Green Deal objectives, aiming to shift 30% of road freight traffic to waterways by 2030.