Port of Antwerp to benefit from Westerschelde dredging

Port of Antwerp to benefit from Westerschelde dredging Work started Thursday on deepening of the Westerschelde, the River Scheldt estuary through to the Belgium/Netherlands border, that will eventually allow containerships up to 12,000 TEUs to sail unhindered to the Port of Antwerp.
   The third deepening of the Westerschelde will see a minimum guaranteed water depth of 14.7 meters, which will allow for ships with a draught of 13.1 meters. Currently, the maximum draught limit is 11.5 meters.
   The navigation channel will also be broadened by up to 370 meters between the Europaterminal and up to 500 meters upstream of the Deurganckdok. All work is expected to be completed by 2010.
   Transport profits up to 2030 resulting from the deepening of the Westerschelde are estimated at between 2.6 billion euros and 3.9 billion euros.