Antwerp applauds invoking of deepening treaty

The 2005 Scheldt Treaties between Flanders and the Netherlands dictates that the Netherlands must complete the dredging of the Western Scheldt in 2009.

The deepening of the Scheldt will allow tide-independent navigation by ships with a draught of up to 13.10 metres (43 ft) at Antwerp.

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.

However, environmental issues have stalled the deepening project.

Said Antwerp port alderman Marc Van Peel: “We understand the concerns of Zeeland, but it’s not the port of Antwerp that asked for reclaimed land to be restored to a state of nature. And in any case there is no direct link between nature restoration and deepening of the Western Scheldt.”