Terminal deepening project underway at Antwerp-Bruges

The new barge quay will allow the terminal operator, PSA Belgium, to provide additional mooring space for inland navigation during the ten year period of upgrade works. 

“It is essential that we maintain a high level of operational delivery to our customers during the investments to upgrade the Europa Terminal,” said Cameron Thorpe, CEO PSA Belgium.

“We are convinced that in cooperation with the port and our customers, this temporary quay will ensure that we can continue to serve the barges calling at PSA Antwerp.”

First phase

The Europa Terminal is being deepened from 13.5 to 16 metres, in order to be able to continue to receive the world’s largest container ships.

Construction of this new temporary 150-metre quay was completed in April and after extensive testing, it is now ready to handle barges until the end of the works. Port of Antwerp-Bruges will be in charge of the operationality of the quay during the terminal upgrade project.

The upgrade works are being split up into three major phases, with a third of the new quayside being upgraded each time, while the remainder remains operational.

Working in three phases will allow the terminal to remain operational throughout the entire ten-year period of the works mitigating against any effect on operations.

With preparatory work and tests completed, the first phase of the extensive works can now get underway. In this phase, under the partnership of four contractors – Artes-Roegiers, Artes-Depret, Herbosch-Kiere and Boskalis – the existing quayside will be demolished.

Temporary structures will then be installed before construction of the first section of the 1,200-metre-long new quayside is started.