Vandamme lock

In the port of Zeebrugge, the temporary joint venture Soetaert-Jan De Nul is completely renovating the fourth lock gate of the Pierre Vandamme lock. The enormous lock gate was disconnected, hoisted from the gate chamber and transferred to the inner port for repair works. This gate of over 2600 tonnes, 58.6 metre long, 24.04 metre high and 10.22 metre wide was lifted by the floating sheerleg Rambiz, equipped with special, internally designed hoisting eyes. The operation took 25 hours and was successfully executed.

The gate is currently being renovated and cleaned: 300 tonnes of sludge and oysters are removed, four extra waste weir pipes are mounted, the shear mechanism, the hydraulic control and even the lubrication and power lines are renewed. Meanwhile, the gate chamber is being dewatered to renovate the guide rails and the existing structure. This is done in a drainage basin and requires a high-risk monitoring and dewatering operation. When both lock gate and gate chamber have been renovated, the heavy lock gate will be neatly reinstalled.