To take more freight traffic off the road, the Flemish government is investing through public-private partnerships in strengthening inland waterway infrastructure. De Vlaamse Waterweg has appointed Via T Albert to rebuild seven bridges over the Albert Canal in a first project cluster. BM Engineering Group is responsible for the quay walls, abutments, and bridge piers.
Higher bridges for larger vessels
Because the canal is not deep enough and the bridges are not high enough, the clearance height of the bridges in Lummen, Kuringen, Pool-Tevant, Meerhout-Vost, and Oelegem will be raised to a minimum of 9.10 meters. This increases the efficiency of inland shipping in general and provides a boost for container shipping. Due in part to the further development of the terminals on the Left Bank in Antwerp, significant growth in freight transport is expected by 2030. Therefore, alternatives to truck transport are more than welcome.
BM Engineering Group at the helm
BM Engineering Group, as a subcontractor of Via T Albert, is taking on the study, design, and supervision of a number of sub-projects. The quay walls are being renewed at every location where a bridge is being built. For each bridge, we also carry out detailed design studies of the abutments, approach ramps, and bridge piers. Because each location has different boundary conditions, each bridge requires a unique approach. With five bridges in two years, this represents a major infrastructure project for BM Engineering's Civil Engineering department.
Construction partners:
*De Vlaamse Waterweg – client / building owner *Via T Albert – main contractor *BM Engineering Group – Civil engineering
