Third Enlargement Program of the River Scheldt
Type:
Presented during:
WODCON XVIII - 2007 Orlando, Florida, USA
Authors:
DeWit, et al
Abstract: The Scheldt estuary is an international seaway that is partly located in the Flemish Region of Belgium and partly in the Netherlands. Large ocean-going vessels travel up and down the estuary to and from Antwerp, a mainport situated at about 80 km of the river mouth.
After two previous deepening exercises (in 1970 and in 1997), a new agreement was signed on March 11th 2005 by the responsible ministers of Flanders and the Netherlands, clearing the way for the third enlargement of the navigation channel in the Scheldt Estuary. Dredging works are planned to start in 2007 and should be completed by the end of 2009. The Scheldt will then offer a tide-independent navigation draft of 13.10 meter, which will allow the Port of Antwerp to offer a better service to post-panamax vessels. The decision by the Flemish and Dutch governments forms part of an all-embracing mutual approach for the Scheldt estuary, as outlined by the 2010 Development Sketch based on three principles : accessibility, flood protection and nature conservation. The enlargement program includes deepening and widening of the navigation channel and the disposal of the dredged material resulting from both the capital and (extra) maintenance dredging works. Extensive studies are now carried out by the Dutch-Flemish CONSORTIUM ARCADIS-TECHNUM (CAT) to examine what will be
the effect of the planned activities on the natural environment of the river. The results of these studies will be used to draw up a joint Dutch-Flemish EIA-document, that will serve as a basis for the decision-making process that ultimately should lead to the most environment-friendly solution in dredge and disposal options.
In this paper an overview is given of the methodology followed to arrive at an optimal project solution.
Keywords: Port accessibility, sustainability, dredged material disposal, naturalness, environmental.