The Berendrecht Lock is the world's second largest

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

, providing access to the right-bank docks of the

Port of Antwerp The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is the port of the City of Antwerp. It is located in Flanders (Belgium), mainly in the province of Antwerp but also partially in the province of East Flanders. It is a seaport in the heart of Europe accessible to ...

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Background

Post

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, work started on the ''Grote Doorsteek'', an ambitious plan which ultimately resulted in the extension of the

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

docks on the right bank of the

Scheldt The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...

to the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

border. In 1967, the company completed the construction of the Zandvliet Lock (Zandvlietsluis), then the world's largest lock.

Construction

In 1989, needing to accommodate wider Post-Panamax ship, the company built a new lock just to the south of the Zandvliet lock. The Berendrecht Lock, which at is wider.

Bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...

s at the ends of each lock, (Zandvliet and Frederik-Hendrik bridges across the Zandlievet Lock; and Oudendijk and Berendrecht bridges across the Berendrecht Lock), allow full road traffic access around the port. The two locks now work as a doubled lock system. Completion of the Berendrecht Lock allowed the extended development of the right bank docks complex, and later the creation of fast turnround tidal berths, both on the right bank (Europa Terminal and the North Sea Terminal), and on the left bank (the Deurganck Dock).

Dimensions

*Length: *Width: *Operational Depth (TAW): *Sill depth at mean high water: *Lock Gates: four sliding gates In both length and total volume (length×breadth×difference in water levels), the Berendrecht Lock is the second-largest in the world.

New left bank lock

In November 2011, work started on the

Kieldrecht Lock The Kieldrecht Lock (Dutch: Kieldrechtsluis), referred to as the Deurgank Dock Lock (Dutch: Deurgankdoksluis) during construction, is the largest lock in the world. The Kieldrecht Lock is the newer of two locks that give access to the left-bank do ...

that became in June 2016 the world's new largest lock on the left bank of the Scheldt. Based on the design of the Berendrecht Lock, it has the same length and width, but with an operational depth (TAW) of .

References

External links