Strépy-Thieu boat lift

50.478333334.1108333Koordinaten: 50 ° 28 '42 " N, 4 ° 6' 39" E

The electromechanical Strépy -Thieu at km 114.66 of the Canal du Centre serves since 2002 to overcome the height difference between the Mons region and the North Sea, and replaces the adjacent elevator with its four hydraulic lifts. It is considered one of the largest boat lifts in the world.

History

Since the 1950s, Belgium expanded its inland waterways. From 1982, the Strépy -Thieu was planned and built, which helps overcome on a parallel channel to the old Canal du Centre offers more than 70 m height difference.

It should be opened in the second half of the 1990s; actually, however, the opening took place only in 2002.

The ship lift was named after districts of the two neighboring towns of La Louviere ( Strépy- ) and Le Roeulx ( Thieu ).

Construction and use

Built of reinforced concrete lift is about 81 m wide, 130 m long and 117 m high. The vessels will be transported in two troughs, which can hold 1350 tonnes of heavy water vehicles, up or down. The troughs have a length of 112 m, a width of 12 m and a water depth of 3.35 to 4.15 m. Use per day about 20 ships the elevator. In Wallonia, the freight transport increased by water in the period from 1995 to 2000 40%. We were promised from the construction of the modern elevator economic attractiveness of the region both through new establishments as well as by international traffic.

Tourism

Aside from its practical importance for navigation, the Strépy -Thieu is also an attraction for the tourists in the hen Gauer country. The old boat lifts can be seen from a boat, in addition, there are guided tours of the entire system.