One down, seven to go: first Scheldetunnel element successfully immersed

One down, seven to go: first Scheldetunnel element successfully immersed! Saturday morning marked a spectacular milestone in the Oosterweel Link project: the first tunnel element of the Scheldetunnel has been immersed and is now in place beneath the Scheldt River in Antwerp. This achievement is the result of years of design, construction and engineering – and it signals the successful start of one of the most technically demanding phases of the Oosterweel project. 

Extreme precision: the tunnel element had to land on the riverbed no more than 35 mm of the target position.

Winch control: six winch lines, anchored on both riverbanks, took over from the tugboats to rotate the element into its final position. 

Asterix and Obelix: two immersion catamarans, Asterix and Obelix, guided the tunnel element’s immersion, while internal ballast tanks in the tunnel element ensured it was heavy enough to sink safely.

Landing on concrete: the element was lowered with precision onto two 120-tonne concrete slabs on the riverbed, serving as temporary supports. A pre-installed hydraulic pump system then pressed the element firmly against the tunnel entrance section on the Left Bank.

Shipping traffic: to ensure safety, all shipping traffic on this busy river section was temporarily suspended during towage and immersion. 

This world-class operation reflects the technical excellence and teamwork of dozens of partners, from the TM COTU consortium and Lantis, to subcontractors, maritime services, and authorities.

Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Annick De Ridder, described the operation as “the Champions League of engineering.” 

The next tunnel element will be immersed on July 21.