Rijkswaterstaat has started the major renovation of the Krammersluis. On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, a large crane safely lifted the reserve door from the bank onto a pontoon. The lock door was then transported to a workshop in Vlissingen.
In July 2026, the door will return to the Krammersluis and will be exchanged with another lock door.
The construction of the Krammersluis was completed in 1987. The Krammersluis is located at the border of North Brabant, Zeeland, and South Holland, near Bruinisse. The lock complex is situated in the Philipsdam, one of the thirteen Delta Works that protects the southwest of the Netherlands from high water from the sea.
About 66,000 ships pass through the locks annually. In addition, the lock complex connects the fresh Volkerak-Zoommeer with the salty Oosterschelde. After more than 35 years, the locks are due for a major renovation. Many components of the locks are reaching the end of their lifespan and are due for a refurbishment.
Fresh-Salt Separation
An important function of the locks is to separate the fresh water from the Volkerak-Zoommeer and the salt water from the Oosterschelde. During the renovation, we will replace the current fresh-salt separation of the push navigation locks with a new system using bubble screens, combined with flushing fresh water.
This ensures that ships pass through the push navigation locks on average 33% faster. They will take half an hour instead of three quarters of an hour. We also achieve an energy saving of 35%.
Door Exchanges Krammersluis
The lock doors of the Krammersluis are 26 m long, 4 m wide, 12 m high, and weigh 340,000 kg. The doors, like the rest of the locks, are due for a thorough revision. They will also be adapted to the new fresh-salt separation. At the workshop in Vlissingen, the doors will receive six large shut-off valves that will allow fresh water to be flushed when the bubble screen is installed.
After the conversion in Vlissingen, the lock door will return to the Krammersluis. We will then hoist one of the existing doors out of the lock and place the refurbished door back into the lock.
Renovation Krammersluis
With the renovation, we are preparing the Krammersluis for the future. All mechanical and electrical installations will be renewed, and the operation of the complex will be modernized and made suitable for remote control. A new discharge medium will also be introduced that contributes to better water management and fish migration between the Oosterschelde and the Volkerak-Zoommeer. The work will last until 2028.
Renewal Task
The renovation of the Krammersluis is part of the broader renewal task of Rijkswaterstaat. Many roads, bridges, locks, and viaducts in the Netherlands were built decades ago and are being used more intensively. By maintaining and strengthening them now, we ensure that everyone can continue to travel safely, smoothly, and reliably in the future.
