Oosterweel Link: Final element of the Scheldt Tunnel successfully immersed

The eight tunnel elements were built over recent years in a dedicated dock in Zeebrugge. Since May 2025, they have been transported one by one over water to Antwerp – a journey of more than 100 kilometres. The first element was immersed on 4 July, and four months later, the last section is now in place.

The operation required absolute precision. The eighth element was positioned between elements six and seven with just 25 centimetres of clearance and a tolerance of 35 millimetres. Each element measures 160 metres in length and weighs around 60,000 tonnes. This achievement is the result of intensive teamwork by hundreds of Belgian and Dutch specialists, working closely with client Lantis and the nautical authorities.

Early in 2026, the two-metre closure joint between the seventh and eighth elements will be completed. This involves installing a steel formwork underwater, sealing it and carrying out concrete works, which will continue until early summer. At that point, the tunnel will be structurally complete.

Later in 2026, works will include breaking through the bulkheads, laying the road surface, installing technical systems, and restoring the Scheldt embankments. The tunnel will open to cyclists in 2028 and to motor traffic in 2030. The entire Oosterweel Link will be completed in 2033.

The Scheldt Tunnel is the third crossing of the river, linking the Left Bank with Noordkasteel on the Right Bank. It connects to the Oosterweel junction and completes the Antwerp Ring, significantly improving access to the city and its port.

The tunnel is approximately 1.8 kilometres long and reaches a depth of about 26 metres below low-water level. It comprises two tubes for motor traffic, an escape passage, and a six-metre-wide cycle tube.

TM COTU stands for Temporary Partnership Combination Oosterweel Tunnel and includes BESIX, Stadsbader Contractors, DEME, and Jan De Nul.