Antwerp’s missing link

A multi-modal hub for logistics activities around the continent, the port of Antwerp is situated 80km inland from the North Sea, covers an area the size of 24,000 soccer pitches, and provides employment for around 144,000 people. It is the second busiest port in Europe and the 14th largest container port in the world.

But the traffic in and around this strategic gateway is putting pressure on the region’s transport infrastructure, in particular the R1 ring road around Antwerp, which has never actually been completed. A shortage of crossings over the Scheldt River adds to the congestion, affecting road safety and quality of life for the local population.

Now a major 11-year infrastructure project aims to address these concerns by constructing the Oosterweel Link and finally bridge the gap in the ring road that was developed back in the 1960s.

The project is being developed by the government-owned entity Lantis and includes a number of measures to improve traffic flow. Among the most high-profile is a 1,800-meter-long tunnel underneath the Scheldt with three lanes in each direction for cars and trucks, as well as a section for cyclists. Further tunnels will connect the ring road to the docks and a new lock will replace the existing Royers shipping lock that was built over 100 years ago.

“This is an exciting project for the global logistics sector, as well as for the residents of Antwerp,” says François Périquet, Regional Head of Energy & Construction, Mediterranean & Africa Region, at AGCS. “When completed, it should result in a better connected city, with more efficient transportation routes for the many operators coming in and out of the port, while for locals living in the surroundings of the ring road, it will substantially improve the quality of life. There will be less congestion, noise and pollution. While works are underway, considerable efforts will be made to minimize disruption and manage the impact on local neighborhoods.”

With multiple stakeholders involved, and specialist skillsets ranging from tunneling and dredging to hydraulics and hot work, delivering an infrastructure project on this scale entails complex risks over its life cycle. Perils include collapse, fire, flood, and damage to existing properties and surroundings.

AGCS is providing Lantis with Construction All Risks cover. “AGCS Belgium and Allianz Risk Consulting worked with Lantis over 20 months to assess the risks involved,” says Périquet. “Over several technical meetings with AGCS underwriters and risk engineers we developed a partnership of trust, which enabled the team to tailor-make strategies for Lantis that will help them mitigate risk over the next 10 years.”

€3.5bn  -  Estimated total project cost

15km  -  Length of link on ring road

1,800m  - Length of Scheldt Tunnel

12,031,469  -  Total teu handled in port of Antwerp in 2020

60%  -  European purchasing power located within a 500km radius of Antwerp

2030 -  Estimated project completion date Oosterweel Link