Bekina BeSealed now also floats tunnels

Did you know that our Bekina BeSealed products are being used in the Oosterweel Link?

The Oosterweel Link is described as "the biggest and most impressive construction site in Belgium". The project should help untangle the crucial traffic junction around Antwerp and includes an impressive 'Scheldetunnel' for safer car and bicycle traffic. According to the current schedule, the first cyclists will drive through the tunnel in 2028 and the first cars in 2030.

This tunnel consists of no less than eight tunnel elements. Each 160 metres long, 42 metres wide and 10 metres high - accounting for a weight of about 60,000 tonnes.

What makes this project even more unique is that the immense tunnel elements are first built in a dock in Zeebrugge and then towed by sea to Antwerp, where they will be sunk into the Scheldt River.

Each tunnel element makes an impressive journey of about 30 hours from Zeebrugge to Antwerp. Accompanied by four tugs and one push boat, these giant structures are transported via the North Sea to the Scheldt River. During the trip, they make two stops along the way, waiting for the right moment of tide to sail on safely.

On arrival at the Doeldok in the Waaslandhaven, the elements will remain there until all preparatory work has been completed. Afterwards, the tunnel elements will be moved to their final destination at Sint-Annabos. There they will be immersed, after which they will be carefully fixed together to form the tunnel structure.

For the waterproofing of the temporary bulkheads, the construction partners relied on our Bekina BeSealed sealing solutions including: Bentobar+, Polybar+, Sealing Plug and the swelling paste.

These bulkheads are the temporary walls that seal the entrance and exit of each tunnel element watertight. Once transported, immersed in place and watertight sealed together, these walls are broken down again so that the tunnel tubes become one continuous whole.

We are proud to be part of this unique project with Bekina BeSealed, together with our partner Hakron.

(Copyright teaser image: Foto van der Kloet)