Once the deepening work has been completed, by the end of 2009, the Scheldt will offer tide independent navigation for ships with a draft of up to 13.50m in average low tide. The average depth of the river at low tide will then be 15.075m.

'Thanks to the deepening work a large number of ships will be able to reach Antwerp much more easily, the spokesman continued. 'Already, the majority of ships that currently call at the port of Antwerp do not have to wait for the tide. In 2007 the total number of seagoing ships calling at the port was 16,689. At present some 1,500 ships have to wait for the tide in order to reach Antwerp.

Flemish minister president Kris Peeters gave the official signal for the dredging work to start at the end of last year, thus marking the start of the historic deepening of the river, greatly strengthening the competitive position of the port of Antwerp, which makes an important contribution to the Flemish economy.

The Scheldt deepening forms part of a package of measures that have been worked out between Flanders and the Netherlands, based on the three principles of sea access, nature conservation and flood protection.