Скачать или смотреть First segment departs for construction of tunnel to link left and right banks of Antwerp

Early Friday morning the first element of the future Scheldt tunnel left Zeebrugge for Antwerp by water. There, the piece of the tunnel will arrive tomorrow evening. The whole project is an engineering feat.

With maritime tribute, the first of the eight tunnel elements of the Scheldt Tunnel is escorted on its way through the port of Zeebrugge. It rises barely 25 centimetres above the water, and is propelled by 1 pusher and four tugs.

From Zeebrugge it will then continue sailing across the North Sea, via the Westerschelde to Terneuzen. There it will again have to wait for high tide to continue sailing with the current to Antwerp. A trip of more than 100 kilometres.

Such a tunnel element is enormous: 160 metres long, 42 metres wide and 10 metres high.
SHOTLIST
LOCATION: Zeebrugge
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Zeebrugge harbour

Flemish Minister for Mobility, Public Works, Ports, and Sports Annic De Ridder and Mayor of Brugge De Fauw

Tunnel element being pulled by two tow boats

Tunnel element in water

Technicans on tunnel element

SOUNDBITE (Dutch) Jan Bauwens, Project Director contractor TM COTU: "The elements were built over the last two years. We are now leaving with the first element. We will pass through the Van Damme lock, which is a crucial point. We will then wait in the outer harbour for the right tide and late tonight we will go out."

GFX Journey

FILE Eight tunnel elements

GFX Length, width and height of tunnel elements

SOUNDBITE (Dutch) Jan Bauwens, Project Director contractor TM COTU: "The passage of the locks and the piece of North Sea that we have to pass is a crucial moment. what plays there is wave action and wind.W e can't sail at all times but today the weather conditions are not too bad .so we will be able to sail to Antwerp today with good enough weather."

Tunnel element being towed

SOUNDBITE (Dutch) Annick De Ridder, Flemish Minister for Mobility, Public Works, Ports, and Sports: "It is very important that these eight elements in total weighing 60,000 tonnes each are now transported across the river Schelde to Antwerp, where they will find their final resting place in the Scheldt to form the Scheldt Tunnel of the Oosterweel connection, which we hopefully can all drive through by 2030 and cycle through from 2028."

Tunnel element gliding through water

Photograph being taken

Engineers and technician on tunnel element

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