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21 May 2024
Oosterweel link: canal tunnels officially launched in Antwerp, Belgium
On Wednesday 15 May 2024, the construction of the canal tunnels was officially kicked off in the presence of Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Lydia Peeters. The tunnels are part of the Oosterweel link in Antwerp and are being built by the ROCO joint-venture, which is responsible for the sub-project ‘Rechteroever’ (Eng.: Right Bank). Both BESIX and BESIX Infra are part of the joint-venture and are contributing to this feat’s realisation.
Stacked tunnels
The canal tunnels consist of four tubes, stacked in pairs. They start at the southern port area (America Dock) and run under the Albert Canal. Eventually, they split up and the lower and upper tubes each go in a different direction.
Together with the Oosterweel junction and the Scheldt Tunnel, which BESIX is also contributing to, the canal tunnels form the missing link that will complete the Antwerp Ring Road. Thanks to a closed Ring Road, a robust traffic system is ensured that will make mobility in the Antwerp region smoother in the future.
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Lantis, ondertekening charter, Rocco, Oosterweel | Photographer: koen keppens, KOEN KEPPENS | Copyright: koen keppensJeroen Philtjens, Project Director TM ROCO: "Building the stacked canal tunnels under the city is an immense technical challenge for ROCO. We are eagerly looking forward to completing this next step in the realisation of the construction site of the century, as it’s often called in Belgium. Together with our client Lantis, the people living in the neighbourhood and all our partners, we are taking up this challenge. Our joint efforts are aimed at improving mobility for the future and maintaining a safe and liveable construction period."
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The works
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Colleague Jeroen Philtjens, Project Director *TM ROCO is the consortium of contractors that will build the canal tunnels under the Albert Canal and the semi-sunken Ring Road. It comprises the contractors BESIX, BESIX INFRA, Cordeel, DEME, Jan De Nul, Denys, Franki Construct, Van Laere and Willemen Infra.
