Rijkswaterstaat and contractor Van den Herik-Sliedrecht have worked hard in recent months to widen the Juliana Canal. Currently, the last stones are being placed on the bottom and the banks.
The work is progressing well. Therefore, the canal can be reopened for commercial shipping between April 11 and 15.
Before that, water must first be let into the canal. To do this, we place a number of siphon pipes on the dam at Berg aan de Maas. This siphons water from the other side of the dam into the drained section. The presence of water in the canal does not immediately allow for navigation.
Removing Temporary Dam
The temporary dam, which allowed us to drain a 4 km section, still lies in the canal. Dismantling it will take several weeks. To accommodate shipping, we allow passage at reduced speed alongside the dam while dismantling it.
During these works, only commercial shipping is permitted. Recreational shipping will be allowed once the dam is completely removed.
Nautical Facilities
Normally, shipping uses various facilities in the canal. When the canal reopens in mid-April, not all of these will have been restored yet. Think of mooring places, fender works, a car drop-off point, etc.
We have discussed with KBN and the water-bound industry how safe navigation can continue on this important waterway in Limburg without all facilities being fully restored and usable.
Phased Opening
We are opening the canal in phases. In the first two weeks, part of the dam still lies in the waterway. Therefore, a reduced speed applies. Shipping guidance is deployed for safety.
After opening for shipping, only one lock clock, the east chamber, at Born Lock is open. There is still too much crossing work traffic during this period. Two weeks later, we will also open the middle chamber at Born Lock. Two work pontoons are in the canal as we transport the excavated soil stored in various depots along the canal by ship.
About the ‘Juliana Canal Widening’ Project
The Juliana Canal is part of the Meuse Route, an important shipping route to ports in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. We are making the Meuse Route suitable for so-called double-barge shipping (class Vb ships). These are ships 190 m long, 11.4 m wide, and with a maximum draught of 3.5 m.
With the widening, we ensure that the Meuse Route remains a significant waterway in the future.