Port of Ghent
Encyclopedia
The port of Ghent
is the third biggest port
in Belgium
. The first port of Ghent was situated at the Scheldt river and later on at the Lys river
. Since the Middle Ages Ghent has sought for a connection to the sea. In the 13th century via the Lieve canal to the Zwin
near Damme
, in the 16th century via the Sassevaart, in the 17th century via the Ghent-Bruges Canal. Since the 19th century by the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
which connects via the Western Scheldt
to the North Sea
. The port of Ghent is accessible by ships of the Panamax
size. There are however talks to renew the locks in Terneuzen
, which would enable bigger ships to enter the harbour.
to Damme
, which was at that time was situated at the Zwin
. However, the Zwin sanded up and the Lieve canal no longer had any importance by the end of the fifteenth century.
In 1547, a second attempt was made by digging the Sassevaart (Sasse Canal), which became a busy trade route. In the sixteenth century however, the Wars of Religion meant the end of navigation on the Sassevaart. This due to a traffic lock on both Western Scheldt and all other connecting waterways set by the Dutch.
In the 17th century, a new attempt was made with the Ghent-Bruges
-Ostend
canal. But as a consequence of the abolition of the former trade privileges there was but little activity.
The present canal(Canal Ghent-Terneuzen
) was finally dug under the rule of William I
, King of the Netherlands. In 1822 the final plan was ratified and in 1827 the works could be started. As waterborne traffic and port activities increased, the sea canal was extended several times:
The works on the Sifferdok were complicated by the crisis of the thirties and by World Wars I
and II
. A revival was practically impossible as the dimensions of the lock were insufficient for the modern post-war seagoing vessels. In 1960 an agreement was signed between Belgium and the Netherlands, which stipulated that a new sealock was to be built and that the Canal was to be adapted for vessels up to . now one post-panamax vessel has already managed to pass through the existing lock.her name was alam permai with a deadweight of 87000 tonnes
With the digging of the Kluizendok a new era is dawning for Ghent. The first phase of the works ends in the autumn of 1999. From that moment onwards the first 1,200m of quay wall and waterfront sites behind them will be available. The Kluizendok will enable quite some expansion of the port.
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
is the third biggest port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The first port of Ghent was situated at the Scheldt river and later on at the Lys river
Lys River
The Leie or Lys is a river in France and Belgium, and a left tributary of the Scheldt. Its source is in Pas-de-Calais, France, and it flows into the river Scheldt in Ghent, Belgium. Its total length is ....
. Since the Middle Ages Ghent has sought for a connection to the sea. In the 13th century via the Lieve canal to the Zwin
Zwin
The Zwin is a nature reserve at the North Sea coast, on the Belgian-Dutch border. It consists of the entrace area of a former tidal inlet which during the Middle Ages connected the North Sea with the ports of Sluis and Bruges inland....
near Damme
Damme
Damme is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge . The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the towns of Hoeke, Lapscheure, Moerkerke, Oostkerke, Sijsele, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had...
, in the 16th century via the Sassevaart, in the 17th century via the Ghent-Bruges Canal. Since the 19th century by the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
The Ghent-Terneuzen Canal , also known as the "Sea Canal" is a canal linking Ghent in Belgium to the port of Terneuzen on the Westerschelde estuary in the Netherlands, thereby providing the former with better access to the sea.-History:The canal was constructed between 1823 and 1827 on the...
which connects via the Western Scheldt
Western Scheldt
The Western Scheldt in the province Zeeland in the southwestern Netherlands, is the estuary of the Scheldt river. This river once had several estuaries, but the others are disconnected from the Scheldt, leaving the Westerschelde as its only direct way to the sea. It is an important shipping route...
to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. The port of Ghent is accessible by ships of the Panamax
Panamax
Panamax and New Panamax are popular terms for the size limits for ships traveling through the Panama Canal. Formally, the limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority titled "Vessel Requirements"...
size. There are however talks to renew the locks in Terneuzen
Terneuzen
Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With over 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland.-Population centres :...
, which would enable bigger ships to enter the harbour.
History
In 1251, the Lieve Canal was constructed in order to attempt to connect GhentGhent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
to Damme
Damme
Damme is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge . The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the towns of Hoeke, Lapscheure, Moerkerke, Oostkerke, Sijsele, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had...
, which was at that time was situated at the Zwin
Zwin
The Zwin is a nature reserve at the North Sea coast, on the Belgian-Dutch border. It consists of the entrace area of a former tidal inlet which during the Middle Ages connected the North Sea with the ports of Sluis and Bruges inland....
. However, the Zwin sanded up and the Lieve canal no longer had any importance by the end of the fifteenth century.
In 1547, a second attempt was made by digging the Sassevaart (Sasse Canal), which became a busy trade route. In the sixteenth century however, the Wars of Religion meant the end of navigation on the Sassevaart. This due to a traffic lock on both Western Scheldt and all other connecting waterways set by the Dutch.
In the 17th century, a new attempt was made with the Ghent-Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
-Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
canal. But as a consequence of the abolition of the former trade privileges there was but little activity.
The present canal(Canal Ghent-Terneuzen
Terneuzen
Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With over 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland.-Population centres :...
) was finally dug under the rule of William I
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
, King of the Netherlands. In 1822 the final plan was ratified and in 1827 the works could be started. As waterborne traffic and port activities increased, the sea canal was extended several times:
- 1880 - 1881: digging of the Voorhaven and Houtdok
- 1900 - 1930: digging of the Grootdok with the Noord-, Midden- and Zuiddok
- 1931: digging of the Schepen Sifferdok
The works on the Sifferdok were complicated by the crisis of the thirties and by World Wars I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and II
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. A revival was practically impossible as the dimensions of the lock were insufficient for the modern post-war seagoing vessels. In 1960 an agreement was signed between Belgium and the Netherlands, which stipulated that a new sealock was to be built and that the Canal was to be adapted for vessels up to . now one post-panamax vessel has already managed to pass through the existing lock.her name was alam permai with a deadweight of 87000 tonnes
- 1961 - 1968: lengthening of the Sifferdok
- 1966 - 1968: digging of the Petroleumdok
- 1968: inauguration of the new sealock
- 1970 - 1971/1975 - 1978: digging of the Rodenhuizedok
- 1996 - today: digging of the Kluizendok
With the digging of the Kluizendok a new era is dawning for Ghent. The first phase of the works ends in the autumn of 1999. From that moment onwards the first 1,200m of quay wall and waterfront sites behind them will be available. The Kluizendok will enable quite some expansion of the port.