The Lantis construction company opened a breach on Friday in the dyke on the left bank of the Scheldt in Antwerp in preparation for the construction of the new tunnel under the Scheldt River.
The first elements of the structure are expected to arrive in Antwerp from Zeebrugge in May.
Approximately 400 metres of the old dyke have been excavated to make way for the tunnel's elements.
The future Scheldt Tunnel will start on the left bank of the river, near Sint-Annabos, and end at the port. Cyclists will be able to use it from 2028, and motorists from 2030.
In early December, a part of the site on the left bank was deliberately flooded. “This was necessary because the Scheldt’s current is particularly strong and, without additional measures, it could damage the already constructed tunnel element,” explained Lantis. “Now that the dyke has been breached, the tunnel construction site is literally in the Scheldt for the first time.”
A new, higher dyke has been built further inland to replace the old one. Moving the dyke has provided more space for the Scheldt. There is also more room for “ecologically valuable tidal nature,” according to Lantis.
“Eighteen hectares of the freed-up area will be transformed into a natural mudflat landscape,” Lantis explained. “These mudflats will become fertile feeding grounds for benthic plants and animals and will provide an ideal spot for birds.”
