After 20 years of wrangling and delays, work is finally underway on a major new European trading route that promises to boost the bloc’s economic fortunes.
France’s Seine-Nord Europe Canal (SNEC) is expected to turbo-charge trade between France, Belgium and the Netherlands when the €5.1 billion project is completed in 2030. The 66 mile (107km) infrastructure project will significantly increase the capacity for cheaper, faster and less polluting river trade between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
As it stands, the smooth flow of commerce between the three nations is being frustrated by the limited capacity of the narrower Canal du Nord. The antiquated river system struggles to cope with the new generation of super-sized cargo ships powering international trade.
Analysts suggest the new route - which will be 54m (177ft) wide - could remove as many as a million heavy goods vehicles from France’s roads each year and will become Europe’s first river network with the capacity to accommodate large ships.
Nicolas Ledoux, CEO of Arcadis France, which is leading the project, said: “The Seine-Nord Europe Canal will not only enable a modal shift from the roadway to the river but will also create added economic, logistical, agricultural, and climatic value for the territories it crosses through."