Antwerp says dredging will move forward
The Antwerp Port Authority said the Dutch Council of State had overturned a stay of deepening work in the Scheldt River
“The decision means that dredging will be able to start in the shortest possible time,” the port said in a press release. “Work on deepening the navigation channel in the Western Scheldt will now be able to actually start on the Dutch side. Flanders has already completed the work on its side of the border within the agreed time limit.
“According to the Antwerp port community this deepening of the navigation channel will enable Antwerp to defend its position as Europe's second-largest port, in the face of competition from Rotterdam and Hamburg,” the statement continued. It said the benefits of the deeper channel will be reinforced by new upstream and downstream navigation regulations that will permit the largest container ships to reach the port of Antwerp in a safe manner more easily.