Afsluitdijk Lock Complex

A key project that will play an important role in the future of activities in our port area is the Afsluitdijk lock complex project: the widening and deepening of the waterway, along with the expansion of the lock at Kornwerderzand. This will transform Port of Zwolle into a seaport, making our three ports accessible to larger ships and directly connected to the sea. With these changes, the world will truly be within reach.

Eleven Metres – A World of Difference

The new lock will only be widened by eleven metres, but these eleven metres will make a significant difference for our port area and the Zwolle region. Both short-sea vessels (large coasters up to 4,000 tonnes) and the new generation of ships will be able to access the harbors of Port of Zwolle.

The completion of this project will provide port-related businesses and shipyards with the space and opportunities to grow. A broader lock will also attract investment, benefiting economic growth and employment in the region. Moreover, the project will help make transport flows more sustainable by promoting water transport over road transport. Currently, many containers from the Zwolle region are still transported by road to Rotterdam for transshipment to seagoing vessels. This will change with the modifications to the lock at Kornwerderzand, making Port of Zwolle accessible to short-sea ships.

Short-sea shipping to Port of Zwolle via Kornwerderzand will provide a major boost to shipping, shipbuilding, and regional activities.

Opportunities

The completion of the Kornwerderzand project will open up even more opportunities. Following this, plans are in place to expand port capacity in Kampen, either by upgrading the existing port or developing a new Zuiderzee Port (II). There are also plans to modify the IJsselmeer-Meppel waterway. Under the MIRT project, the government aims to upgrade this waterway to CEMT class Va by 2023 at the latest.

Progress to Date

Port of Zwolle has been actively involved in lobbying for the widening of the lock. In 2018, together with entrepreneurs and regional and provincial authorities from Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, and Flevoland, we presented a bid book to Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen during her working visit to Meppel, at the invitation of Port of Zwolle.

At the end of 2019, the decision was made to widen the lock and renew the bridges, bringing the realization of this project closer. In June 2020, Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) and Deputy Fokkens-Kelder (Province of Fryslân) signed the Administrative Agreement on the Expansion of the Kornwerderzand Lock Complex. The new lock is expected to be completed by 2026. Port of Zwolle will continue to closely monitor developments regarding the Kornwerderzand lock.

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