Scheldt Tunnel concrete shell complete
The TM COTU consortium – BESIX, BAM Contractors, Jan De Nul, and Cofely Fabricom – in charge of delivering the Oosterweel connection project, has finished the concrete shell for eight massive tunnel elements that will form Antwerp’s new Scheldt Tunnel.
Since January 2023, over 200,000m³ of concrete and 50,000 tons of steel were used to construct these elements in a construction dock in Zeebrugge. The elements, each weighing 60,000 tonnes, will be transported to Antwerp in 2025 and submerged under the Scheldt to form a vital link between the city's left and right banks.
The concrete used in this project is specially designed to endure heavy traffic loads and withstand water pressure once placed under the Scheldt. The tunnel elements include two tubes for vehicle traffic, a six-meter-wide cycle path, and an emergency escape tube, making this a key part of Antwerp’s future mobility plan.
Gert Osselaer, operational director at Lantis, the public body overseeing the project, said: “This last concrete pour is an important milestone. We’ve worked hard in this construction dock and the progress is impressive. Now we move towards the next phase—towing the tunnel elements to Antwerp in 2025.”
The tunnel’s transport involves complex logistics, with the construction dock set to be flooded and the tunnel elements floated using ballast tanks. “When we flood the dock, the tanks are filled with water so the elements rest on the bottom until their departure,” explained Raymond De Kroon, director of execution at TM COTU.
Once towed by tugboats, the tunnel sections will be temporarily parked in the Doel Dock before being sunk under the river using a controlled process.
The Scheldt Tunnel will open to cyclists by 2028 and to vehicles by 2030, significantly improving traffic flow and connectivity in Antwerp. The project is expected to alleviate congestion and complete Antwerp's ring road.
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