Two projects in European inland navigation
In Belgium, the autonomous port of Liège – the country’s first inland port and the third in Europe - and the Public Service of Walloon Mobility and Infrastructure (SPW MI) are planning to launch two projects: the raising of the bridges located on the Albert Canal (Hermalle, Haccourt and Lixhe) and the extension of the Liège Trilogiport container terminal.
The aim of raising the bridges is to ensure inland shipping with a clear height of 9.10 m on the Albert Canal between Antwerp and Liège. This move will allow vessels to transport four layers of containers (instead of three currently), as well as strengthen the capacity to tranship containers from the waterway to the road or rail in Liège.
It appears essential to continue this connection between the Walloon hinterland and the port of Antwerp-Bruges – Europe’s second largest seaport after Rotterdam. Several bridges in Wallonia are involved to guarantee access to Liège Trilogiport and Chertal: Hermalle-sous-Argenteau, Haccourt and Lixhe. Specifically, the Hermalle-sous-Argenteau, Haccourt and Lixhe bridges must be raised by approximately 1.75 m, 1.90 m, and 1.60 m respectively. Works are currently scheduled to begin in Q4/2024.
The Liège Trilogiport container terminal (with an initial surface area of 3.6 hectares) has just been equipped with an additional 5.5 hectares as well as a parking area for HGVs located at the entrance to the terminal. This extension represents an investment of more than EUR 9.2 million. Subsidies granted to the Port of Liège involve a share of EUR of 5.53 million and a further EUR 3.7 million from the Walloon recovery plan.
Multimodal companies are currently responding to the initiative. DPW Liège Container Terminals, operator of the terminal, will double its transhipment capacity.
One of the objectives of the two projects is to limit the growth in the number of HGVs circulating between the ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Liège and give Liège and Walloon companies a real alternative to road haulage for transporting their goods from Liège Trilogiport. (cd)