At the invitation of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe, the Seine-Scheldt EEIG met in Compiègne on 4 September 2026 before visiting the construction site of the Montmacq–Cambronne-lès-Ribécourt lock, located on Section 1 of the future Seine-Nord Europe Canal (the 18 km stretch between Compiègne and Passel).
Representatives of the four operators of the Seine-Scheldt Network (De Vlaamse Waterweg nv, Service public de Wallonie, the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and VNF – Voies navigables de France) held their monthly meeting at the premises of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe before taking a closer look at progress on site.
The visit provided an opportunity to follow the various stages in the construction of the lock, whose chamber and lock heads are currently being concreted. Following the completion of the diaphragm walls in early 2026, these now form a watertight enclosure within which the lock is being built. With the excavation works completed in the lock chamber, pumping station and lock heads, civil engineering works are continuing.
The visit offered a valuable opportunity to appreciate first-hand the scale and significance of this major project for the European Seine-Scheldt inland waterway link and for the connectivity of the regions it serves. It provides a concrete illustration of the modal shift ambitions underpinning the Seine-Nord Europe Canal, supported by the European Commission through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
Many thanks to all the teams of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the Section 1 design and supervision consortium Team O+ for their warm welcome and for organising this visit, which highlights the tangible progress being made on the Seine-Scheldt Network in the Oise department and across the wider project area.
- Project Owner: Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe
- Project Management Assistance: setec
- Design and Supervision Contractor: #TeamO+ (Artelia / Arcadis / Tractebel / Ateliers 2/3/4 / Lavigne & Chéron)
- Construction Contractors for the Montmacq–Cambronne-lès-Ribécourt Lock: Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France, Bouygues Travaux Publics, RAZEL-BEC | FAYAT Group, Fayat Fondations, PRO-FOND, Semeru | FAYAT ÉNERGIE SERVICES, John Cockerill, Victor Buyck Steel Construction, Ramery, TPGEO, SATELEC | FAYAT ÉNERGIE SERVICES.
