Western Scheldt: Vlissingen, Borsele and BraakmanhavenÂ
The Western Scheldt is a tidal waterway. In Vlissingen and Borsele on the Western Scheldt, North Sea Port is accessible to ships with a draught of up to 17 metres. The Braakmanhaven, also located along the Western Scheldt, has a maximum draught of 12.1 metres.
Gent-Terneuzen CanalÂ
Terneuzen and Ghent is accessible to seagoing and inland vessels via the North Sea locks - formerly called the Terneuzen lock complex - which gives access to the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. This straight and wide canal assures shipping of smooth and fast nautical access to Terneuzen and as far as Ghent, 32 kilometres inland, which lies to the south of North Sea Port.
The non-tidal Ghent-Terneuzen Canal is accessible to vessels with a draught of up to 12.5 metres.
North Sea locks consist of:
- The West Lock can receive vessels of 92,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage or carrying capacity), with a maximum length of 265 metres, a width of 37 metres and a draught of 12.50 metres.
- The East Lock is intended for inland and pleasure navigation.
- The New Lock officially opened in October 2024. The New Lock is the same size as the locks in the Panama Canal, being 427 metres long, 55 metres wide and 16.44 metres deep. The lock can accommodate large ocean-going vessels up to 366 metres long, 49 metres wide and (currently) 12.5 metres deep. Thus, North Sea Port is ready for the future to properly accommodate ever larger ships.
More information can be found on the Rijkswaterstaat website.
