EU support for new Belgo-Dutch sea lock

A preparatory study to analyse the construction of a sea lock in the Dutch city of Terneuzen will be partly funded by the EU. The project, which will receive almost €4 million in support, will tackle the capacity problem that is currently affecting the Terneuzen lock complex. The aim of the project, which was selected for funding under the TEN-T Programme, is to analyse all aspects related to the construction, management and maintenance of a new maritime lock. The canal links Terneuzen with Ghent and is a major shipping connection for both the maritime and inland navigation sectors. It has an overall length of 32km – 15.4 km on Belgian territory and 16.6 km in the Netherlands – and is part of the Seine-Scheldt Inland Waterway, connecting the French inland waterway network with those of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The lock complex currently suffers from capacity issues, and is the subject of an agreement between governments signed last year. The project is set to be completed by the end of next year.