(AOF) – The Eiffage group announced today that it has won, in a consortium – with Artes Roegiers, Artes Depret and Boskalis – the contract to modernize the Europa terminal in the port of Antwerp-Bruges for a total amount of 335 million euros. , including 129 million euros for Eiffage, through Herbosch-Kiere, a subsidiary of Eiffage Benelux. Port congestion at the global level requires a greater capacity to accommodate the largest container ships and the improvement of spaces dedicated to the handling of containers.
The Europa terminal project aims to increase its capacity by a third but also to contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral port. The renovation project involves the implementation of large-scale maritime works to allow in the future the mooring of ships with a draft of 16 meters against 13.5 meters currently. The current quay wall will be demolished and replaced by a new quay wall of a similar length (1,200 meters) but with a new orientation.
To do this, temporary works will be carried out, including the construction of a temporary water reservoir to facilitate the demolition of the old quay wall and protect the works from the passage of boats and tides. A temporary mooring will also be created to ensure the continuity of navigation.
The project was designed with respect for the preservation of maritime fauna and flora. Thus, the new reoriented quay wall will allow ships to pass at a sufficient distance from the Galgenschoor nature reserve. In a final phase, the work also includes the construction of an underwater dam to protect this reserve.
The works, which began in September 2022, will be carried out in three phases over nine years so that the terminal can remain in service and to take into account the maritime traffic expected in the coming years.
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Concern and caution
La Capeb wants to be cautious in its forecasts for the whole year. It expects business growth of between 1.5 and 2.5% in 2022 due to economic uncertainties and rising prices. For its part, the French Building Federation (FFB) is expressing its concerns about the fall in sales of new housing for 2023. It also calls for measuring the impact of the ecological and digital transition on the sector. The RE2020 standard would thus generate additional costs of 5 to 12%. She would like to see a “National Construction Council” set up, recalling that the sector created more than 8,000 jobs during the first quarter.