Dunkirk to dredge to attract world's biggest ships - threat to Antwerp?
THE EU has earmarked EUR550,000 (US$603,000) to study technical problems in achieving access and berthing for the world's biggest ships at Dunkirk, 10 kilometres from the Belgian border and a 160 kilometres from Antwerp, Belgium's biggest port.
The plan is to dredge a navigation channel to 18 metres widened to 240 metres and getting the Atlantic Dock's turning basin fully dredged and widened to 650 metres.
Dunkirk is also planning to reconfigure the Flanders Container Terminal, increasing its capacity 50 per cent. Also envisaged is the construction of a new wharf at the Western Bulk Terminal to enhance transshipment of bulk cargoes.