The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is preparing to repurpose a major piece of temporary infrastructure in Zeebrugge into a permanent logistics asset, following the completion of a key construction phase for the Scheldt Tunnel project.
Construction of the eight tunnel elements for the Scheldt Tunnel began in January 2023 along the Boudewijnkanaal in Zeebrugge. To support this work, the project contractor developed a dedicated construction dock at the junction of the Boudewijnkanaal and the Verbindingsdok.
Measuring approximately 1 kilometre in length and 200 metres in width, the dock was purpose-built to facilitate the casting and handling of the tunnel elements.
The Scheldt Tunnel will complete the Antwerp Ring Road and provide a fourth crossing of the River Scheldt, alongside the Kennedy, Waasland and Liefkenshoek tunnels. With the final tunnel element transported to Antwerp at the end of September, the construction dock has now fulfilled its original function.
The contractor is scheduled to dismantle the temporary construction site by the end of December, fully releasing the dock area for its next phase of development.
Rather than removing the dock entirely, Port of Antwerp-Bruges plans to transform the former construction facility into a permanent dock, marking a shift from temporary infrastructure to long-term port capacity.
This transition aligns with broader investment plans aimed at strengthening the port’s role in automotive and RoRo logistics.
Work is already underway on a new quayside along the Verbindingsdok, adjacent to the former construction dock, where RoRo vessels will be able to berth.
From autumn 2026, the temporary retaining walls on the Boudewijnkanaal side of the dock will be removed. The dock will then be widened and deepened to around 12 metres, enabling it to accommodate larger vessels. Two additional moorings will be created along the new quayside as part of this phase.
Once completed, the redeveloped dock will provide Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Orcelle Terminal with three extra RoRo berths and space for approximately 8,000 additional vehicles.
The permanent dock is scheduled to be operational in the first half of 2027, representing the final step in the transition from construction site to fully integrated port infrastructure.
In other news, DP World Antwerp is on track to complete a €230 million expansion in 2026, increasing capacity by 30 per cent and reinforcing the Port of Antwerp’s position as one of Europe’s foremost integrated logistics hubs.
