Albert Canal

The Albert Canal (Dutch: Albertkanaal, pronounced [ˈɑl.bərt.kaːˌnaːl]; French: Canal Albert, pronounced [kanal albɛʁ]) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Dessel–Turnhout–Schoten Canal, and its total length is 129.5 kilometres (80.5 mi).

The Albert Canal has a standard depth of 3.4 metres (11 ft) and an overhead clearance of 6.7 metres (22 ft). To allow four-stacked container traffic, bridges over the canal are currently being heightened to allow for a 9.1 metres (30 ft) overhead. Between Antwerp and Liège, there is a difference in elevation of 56 metres (184 ft), and six sets of canal locks were needed to overcome this difference. Five canal locks each have a lift of 10 metres (33 ft), and these are located in Genk, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Kwaadmechelen, and Olen, Belgium. The sixth lock at Wijnegem has a lift of 5.45 metres (17.9 ft). During most of the 1930s, before the completion of the Albert Canal, it took about seven days to travel from Antwerp to Liège by water. In the 21st century, that same distance can be covered in about 18 hours.

The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company Hochtief worked on the canal between 1930 and 1934, but it was completed by Belgian companies. One of these Belgian companies was Ackermans & van Haaren. From July 1935 to February 1939, the company contributed to the construction of the Albert Canal, more specifically to the section between Kuringen (Hasselt) and Beringen, covering a distance of 13 km. These works were carried out as a subcontract for Entreprises Dumon & Vander Vin. In addition, from 10 November 1937 onwards, Ackermans & van Haaren was commissioned to clear the siphon at the Zonderikbeek, as well as other streams, of waste and stone debris. Finally, between November 1938 and January 1939, the company carried out dredging and hydraulic filling works in the large coal harbour of Zolder on behalf of the Brussels-based Compagnie Générale de Travaux (Cogetra). This harbour was connected by a 7 km railwa

Canal data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).