Market: Civil Construction 
Scope of Work: Replace lock gate 4 from the Pierre Vandamme Lock
Location: Zeebruges, Belgium
Client: THV Soetaert - Jan De Nul
Period: July 2019
HLV: Rambiz

The Pierre Vandamme lock is located in the port of Zeebruges. This lock complex is the connection between the inner harbour and Belgian coast. The Pierre Vandamme lock consists of four lock gates and four bridges.
Lock Gate 4, with a weight of 2,500 tons, was overhauled onshore and transported to the quayside by SPMT’s in the inner harbour of Zeebruges. Heavy Lift Vessel Rambiz lifted Lock Gate 4 from this quayside and transported the gate in her hooks to the lock complex. HLV Rambiz and her crew installed Lock Gate 4 in its original position with the assistance of divers. This spectacular operation took approximately 14 hours. The lock gate has the surface of the quarter of a soccer field (66 x 11 x 25 meters) and was installed within a tolerance of just a couple centimetres.
The operation is part of the full-scale renovation of the Pierre Vandamme lock, the crucial access point to the inner port of Zeebruges.

Scaldis Scope

Pre-installation of the rigging in HLV hooks
Positioning HLV in front of Lock Gate 4
Connecting HLV rigging to Lock Gate 4
Lifting Lock Gate 4 from SPMT assembly
Transport of Lock Gate 4 in the hooks to Pierre Vandamme lock
Critical passage of 2 bridges
Alignment of Lock Gate 4 with lock gate chamber, recess and trolley
Disconnection of rigging