The Dutch government has done what the Antwerp port community has been urging it to do for several months now; to implement the 2005 Scheldt Treaties between Flanders and the Netherlands, which lay down that the Netherlands must complete the dredging of the Western Scheldt in 2009.
However, there is no euphoria. “We’ll save the real celebrations until the dredging work has been completed and the largest ships can reach Antwerp more easily,” said port alderman, Marc Van Peel.
The decision must first go to the Dutch Council of State. All eyes are now on minister Verburg, and it is hoped that she will take the necessary steps to get the environmental organisations to waive their appeal to the Council of State against the stay of execution being lifted.
The port of Antwerp has long pleaded for deepening of the Scheldt, so as to permit tide independent navigation by ships with a draught of up to 13.10 metres (43 ft). Once the deepening work has been completed, seven out of ten ships that currently face problems will be able to reach the port of Antwerp without tide constraints, which is of crucial importance for the further economic development of the port.
