Last Friday around midnight, the lock in Ooigem, near Wielsbeke in Belgium, was reopened to shipping traffic after a thorough renovation. Together with Artes and Victor Buyck, BESIX Unitec has given the 50-year-old lock a total makeover. Our colleagues of BESIX Unitec can look back with pride to another successful project!
The lock in Ooigem dates back from the nineties and really needed to be renovated in order to ensure a good functioning in the future. Both a civil and electromechanical renovation was required during which the hydraulic installation was transformed into an electrical one.
The client (Vlaamse Waterweg nv) awarded the renovation to a project team comprising of Artes, Victor Buyck Steel Construction and our very own BESIX Unitec. Artes was responsible for the concrete works, whereas Victor Buyck Steel Construction was in charge of delivering the lock doors. Lastly, BESIX Unitec played a crucial role in constructing and installing the electrical panels, laying all the cables and installing the control system. Works were also executed to prepare the lock for remote control in the future.
The lock of Ooigem is an important part of the Roeselare-Leie canal, a major waterway for the transportation of goods. Along the canal, numerous businesses use the canal to transport their goods to their destination in a sustainable way. To minimise nuisance for navigation, the works had to be carried out within a tight timeframe. For the renovation, the lock was entirely drained and the aim was to reopen within a timeframe of 35 working days. Accurate planning and good coordination between the partners were therefore essential. Over the past month, works have been carried out 24/7 and this hard work has paid off. After BESIX Unitec's teams conducted final tests on Friday, the lock could be reopened at midnight.
This project is a nice example of how BESIX Group uses her expertise to keep essential infrastructure up-to-date. We are proud that we could contribute to the modernisation of the lock in Ooigem through BESIX Unitec. In addition, we are looking forward to similar future projects, in which we can showcase our knowledge and experience.
Congratulations to everyone involved!
