At the invitation of De Vlaamse Waterweg nv, EEIG Seine–Scheldt held its monthly meeting on 21 April in Flanders, at the Sint-Baafs-Vijve lock complex.
Representatives of the four partner organisations (De Vlaamse Waterweg nv, the Service public de Wallonie, the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and VNF – Voies navigables de France), responsible for delivering Europe’s largest large-gauge inland waterway network, first held the EEIG’s Annual General Meeting, followed by the group’s monthly meeting, at the lock control centre.
They then attended a presentation and site visit of several projects along the River Lys, carried out by De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and co-financed by the European Commission through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF):
- the construction of a new cycle bridge in Zulte. Work began in February 2025 and is expected to be completed by December 2026. The bridge will connect the centre of Zulte with the castle on the opposite bank and will strengthen the local cycling network through a connection with the cycle route along the river;
- the demolition of deteriorated riverbanks and the construction of environmentally friendly banks along sections 140, 150 and 160 of the River Lys. Following vegetation clearance, slope stabilisation using steel sheet piles and earthworks, tangible results are already visible, with newly created ecological banks and berms helping to preserve and restore biodiversity along the river;
- the reconstruction of the Lysbrug cycle and pedestrian bridge in Ingelmunster. The clearance of the former pedestrian bridge over the Roeselare–Lys Canal no longer met the requirements of modern inland navigation. Construction of the new bridge began in March 2025, with an investment of €7.1 million. Once completed, it will allow vessels carrying three layers of containers to pass underneath. The works are expected to be completed by December 2026.
Many thanks to De Vlaamse Waterweg nv for organising this fascinating day, which highlighted the progress being made on the Seine–Scheldt Network in Flanders, as well as across the other partner regions.
