Inside Europe’s $7BN Megaproject

Summary

Antwerp's ambitious infrastructure project aims to alleviate traffic congestion impacting Europe's trade. The Oosterweel Link project, dubbed Belgium's 'project of the century,' involves innovative tunnel constructions, including an immersed tube tunnel under the River Scheldt and a complex network of tunnels under the Albert Canal. With a price tag of €7 billion, the project is set to reshape Antwerp, enhancing accessibility and promoting green transport by 2030.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Antwerp is renowned for its art, fashion, and diamond trade, but it also faces significant traffic issues impacting both locals and European trade.
• 🚗 The Antwerp Ring Road, which is not ring-shaped, is a major cause of traffic congestion, with drivers spending an average of 61 hours in traffic in 2022.
• 🏗️ Antwerp is undertaking a massive infrastructure project known as the Oosterweel Link to address the traffic problem, which includes innovative underground construction methods.
• 🌊 The Scheldt Tunnel is a key part of the project, featuring an immersed tube method construction with segments weighing 60,000 tonnes each, to be assembled under the River Scheldt.
• 🔄 The project's complexity is due to geographical challenges, including the presence of the river and the Albert Canal, which requires creative engineering solutions.
• 💰 The Oosterweel Link project is expected to cost around €7 billion, with funding from the Flemish Government and the European Investment Bank, to be repaid through tolls.
• 🗓️ The project, initiated in the mid-1990s, has faced delays and is now aimed to be completed by 2030, aligning with the Route Plan 2030 for improved city accessibility and sustainability.
• 🛤️ The construction involves not only tunnels but also the integration of new and existing infrastructure, including the demolition of a viaduct and the creation of new parks and cycle tracks.
• 🏙️ The project has been met with public scrutiny and controversy, leading to a referendum in 2009 that rejected an earlier plan involving a large bridge.
• 🌳 The initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce car journeys in Antwerp by promoting public transport, cycling, and walking as part of a greener transport strategy.
• 👷‍♂️ The successful completion of the project will transform the city and its surroundings, providing a lasting legacy for the engineering teams involved.

Q & A

What is Antwerp known for besides its traffic issues?

Antwerp is known for its fine art, fashion, and being the center of the world’s diamond trade.

Why is Antwerp's traffic problem significant for Europe?

Antwerp's traffic problem is significant for Europe because it impacts not just local people and industries but also the Trans-European Transport Network, which connects Paris and Amsterdam along the North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor.

What is the name of the project that aims to resolve Antwerp's traffic issues?

The project aimed at resolving Antwerp's traffic issues is called the Oosterweel Link project.

How does the geography of Antwerp contribute to its 'project of the century'?

The geography of Antwerp, with the presence of the River Scheldt and the Albert Canal, makes the construction of the ring road complex, leading to the project being dubbed Belgium’s 'project of the century'.

What is unique about the construction of the Scheldt Tunnel?

The Scheldt Tunnel is unique because it is being constructed using the immersed tube method, which involves building tunnel segments in a dry dock, floating them to the site, and then sinking them under the river to create a watertight seal.

How are the Canal Tunnels under the Albert Canal being constructed?

The Canal Tunnels are being constructed by stacking four 2.5-kilometre tubes two-by-two under the Albert Canal to save horizontal space and accommodate the depth needed for large ships.

What is the total estimated cost of the Antwerp infrastructure upgrade?

The total estimated cost of the Antwerp infrastructure upgrade is around €7 billion, which is approximately USD $7.6 billion at the time of filming.

What is the Route Plan 2030 initiative aiming to achieve for Antwerp?

The Route Plan 2030 initiative aims to make Antwerp safer to navigate and easier to access, with a goal to reduce the city’s proportion of car journeys from 70% to 50%, promoting more sustainable transport options.

Why was there a delay in starting the Oosterweel Link project?

The delay in starting the Oosterweel Link project was due to over a decade of debate on the project's direction, including a public referendum in 2009 that rejected the initial plan for a bridge.

How does the construction of the new infrastructure impact the local and surrounding sectors?

The construction impacts the local and surrounding sectors by affecting investors, causing some to invest more in alternate markets like fine art, which has thrived even during economic downturns.

What is the significance of the Masterworks sponsorship in the video?

The Masterworks sponsorship highlights an alternative investment opportunity in fine art, which has been successful during market downturns and is related to the economic impacts discussed in the script.

Outlines

00:00

🌆 Antwerp's Infrastructure Overhaul

The script introduces Antwerp, Belgium, as a city known for its art, fashion, and diamond trade, but also plagued by traffic issues due to an incomplete ring road. The city's strategic location as a hub for international trade is highlighted, with the Antwerp Ring Road being a crucial part of the Trans-European Transport Network. The script discusses the impact of traffic congestion on local and European levels and teases the Oosterweel Link project, a massive infrastructure endeavor aimed at resolving these issues. The project's complexity and scale are emphasized, along with its significance for European trade and the innovative construction methods being employed.

05:02

🏗️ The Scheldt Tunnel: A Masterclass in Engineering

This paragraph delves into the construction of the Scheldt Tunnel, a key component of the Antwerp infrastructure upgrade. The tunnel is designed to alleviate traffic by providing an underground route for vehicles and cyclists under the River Scheldt. The use of the immersed tube method for tunnel construction is highlighted, detailing the process of creating and assembling eight massive concrete segments. The segments are built in Zeebrugge, then floated to Antwerp, where they are sunk and sealed to form the tunnel. The paragraph also discusses the construction challenges, including maintaining traffic flow and navigating the city's historical and geographical constraints.

10:03

🚧 The Complexities of Antwerp's Infrastructure Revamp

The final paragraph discusses the broader implications and additional projects involved in Antwerp's infrastructure overhaul. It covers the construction of the Oosterweel Junction, the Canal Tunnels, and the demolition and replacement of a viaduct with more tunnels. The paragraph also touches on the challenges of building in a densely populated and historically significant area, the need for a temporary bypass, and the project's impact on local residents and businesses. The total cost of the project is revealed, along with its funding sources and the repayment plan through tolls. The paragraph concludes with the project's timeline, the goals of Route Plan 2030 for greener transportation, and a reflection on the project's long history and the pride of being part of its realization.

Keywords

💡Antwerp

Antwerp is a city in Belgium renowned for its art, fashion, and diamond trade. It is a central hub for international trade, strategically located with access to the North Sea and neighboring countries. In the video, Antwerp's significance is highlighted by its major seaport and the traffic challenges it faces due to infrastructure limitations.

💡Infrastructure

Infrastructure refers to the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. In the context of the video, Antwerp's infrastructure is being expanded and improved through the construction of new tunnels and roads to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance connectivity within Europe.

💡Traffic Congestion

Traffic congestion is a situation where traffic moves slowly or comes to a halt due to an excess of vehicles on the road. The video script discusses how Antwerp's incomplete ring road and bottleneck tunnels contribute to significant traffic issues, impacting not only the local community but also the broader European transport network.

💡Oosterweel Link Project

The Oosterweel Link Project is a major construction initiative in Antwerp aimed at completing the city's ring road. The project involves complex engineering feats, including the construction of tunnels and bridges, and is intended to alleviate traffic congestion. The video provides an in-depth look at the challenges and innovations associated with this project.

💡Immersed Tube Method

The immersed tube method is a tunnel construction technique where pre-fabricated tunnel segments are floated out to their final location and then sunk into place on the seabed. The video script describes the use of this method for the Scheldt Tunnel, emphasizing its scale and the engineering marvel involved in creating an underwater link for the ring road.

💡Albert Canal

The Albert Canal is a significant waterway in Belgium that presents a geographical challenge for the completion of the ring road. The video discusses the innovative approach of constructing stacked tunnels under the canal to maintain navigability for ships and to preserve the necessary depth for maritime traffic.

💡Trans-European Transport Network

The Trans-European Transport Network is a series of transport routes that connect major European cities. The video highlights the importance of Antwerp's ring road as a crucial element of this network, linking Paris and Amsterdam along the North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor.

💡Route Plan 2030

Route Plan 2030 is an initiative in Antwerp aimed at improving the city's accessibility and reducing reliance on cars. The video explains that the plan seeks to decrease the proportion of car journeys from 70% to 50% by promoting more sustainable transportation options such as public transport, cycling, and walking.

💡Masterworks

Masterworks is mentioned in the video script as a company that allows investors to purchase shares of art from renowned artists. The video script discusses how, during economic downturns, assets like fine art can provide stability and have thrived, making it an attractive investment option.

💡Construction Techniques

Construction techniques in the video refer to the methods and processes used in building infrastructure. The script provides examples such as the immersed tube method for tunnel construction and the stacking of tunnels under the Albert Canal, showcasing the innovative approaches taken to overcome engineering challenges.

💡Environmental Impact

The environmental impact is a consideration in large-scale construction projects, as they can affect local ecosystems and communities. The video script mentions public concerns about the environmental effects of the initial plan for the Oosterweel Link Project, which included a large bridge that was ultimately rejected.

Highlights

Antwerp is known for fine art, fashion, and a busy port central to the world's diamond trade.

The city faces a significant traffic problem impacting local and European industries.

Antwerp's infrastructure project aims to resolve decades-long issues with the Antwerp Ring Road.

The Oosterweel Link project is a complex construction effort to alleviate traffic congestion.

Geographical challenges, including the Scheldt River and Albert Canal, complicate the project.

The Scheldt Tunnel is being constructed using the immersed tube method.

Eight massive segments will be assembled under water to create the 1,800-metre link.

The tunnel construction requires high precision and a temporary bypass to maintain traffic.

The Canal Tunnels will consist of four 2.5-kilometre tubes stacked under the Albert Canal.

The project includes the demolition of an existing viaduct and construction of new tunnels and parks.

The total cost of the project is estimated at €7 billion, with funding from various sources.

Route Plan 2030 aims to reduce car journeys in Antwerp and promote sustainable transport options.

The project was initially proposed in 1996 but faced over a decade of debate and public referendum.

Masterworks, the sponsor, has generated over $49 million in art sales during economic downturns.

The video also raises awareness of mental health in the construction industry through Get Construction Talking.

The project is expected to be completed by 2030, transforming Antwerp's infrastructure and connectivity.

Transcripts

Antwerp in Belgium. It’s a place  known for its fine art, fashion,  

and a busy port that made it the  centre of the world’s diamond trade.

What do I know about diamonds?

Don't they come from Antwerp?

And yet it’s not all glitz and glamour here, and  you only have to go for a drive to find out why.

Yes, this beautiful old city  has a big traffic problem — one  

that’s impacting not just local people and  industries but the rest of Europe, too.

But thanks to some incredible underground  construction methods, Antwerp is now on course  

to complete a massive piece of infrastructure  it’s been trying to finish for decades.

It's big.

The area surrounding the city is  becoming one epic building site,  

creating a line-up of the most impressive  engineering this country has ever attempted.

Sites like this are why I love construction.

From sunken river tunnels to routes stacked  inside a canal and massive new parks, sit back  

and get ready for a deep dive into one of Europe’s  most important — and lesser-known — megaprojects.

There aren’t many European cities better  placed for international trade than Antwerp. 

It has the Netherlands to the  North, Germany to the East,  

Brussels to the South and to the West that  big old patch of water known as the North Sea.

Antwerp has one of the world’s major seaports.

Huge highways from those other  countries and cities all lead here,  

converging in a single stretch of tarmac on  the outskirts known as the Antwerp Ring Road.

But hold on a minute, isn't a  ring-road supposed to be ring-shaped?

Well, yes, and because this one isn't,  

getting from A to B by car can  be a frustrating experience.

In 2022 drivers spent 61 hours  in traffic on average — thanks  

in part to that unfinished ring road.

The two current tunnels under the  river have become bottlenecks,  

and congestion has spread into residential areas.

If all of that wasn’t bad enough,  

the road is also a crucial element of  the Trans-European Transport Network —

connecting Paris and Amsterdam along  the North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor.

But things are about to change. Antwerp is  finally putting the last jigsaw piece into  

place with the fantastically-named Oosterweel  Link project – a set of building works that  

should be simple but really aren’t, creating  hassle for construction teams and residents,  

and great material for a  construction YouTube channel.

A lot of the challenge here is down to geography.

First off, there’s a river in the way  — and any attempt to complete the ring  

would have to contend with another  watery obstacle — the Albert Canal.

It’s why this is being called Belgium’s “project  of the century” – first put forward way back  

in the mid-1990s and now being developed by  Lantis on behalf of the Flemish government.

All up this is much more than just a  boring ring road like the UK’s M25. 

Here, there are a lot of tunnels  being built in some very unusual ways.

Now this massive project is taking a lot of time,  

money and expertise. And  there’s still a long road ahead.

Looking at the wider sector, analysts  say it could still take another year  

for Belgium’s construction activity  to rebound to pre-pandemic levels.

Investors in every surrounding sector  have been affected. That’s caused savvy  

ones in the highest tax brackets to  invest more in alternate markets,  

where assets like fine art have thrived in  even the most devastating economic downturns.

Their near-zero correlation to traditional  

equities allows them to move  independently from the market.

That's where today’s video  sponsor Masterworks comes in.

During a tumultuous time for stocks  and real estate, they were able to  

generate over $49 million in art sales and  distribute the proceeds to their investors.

Shares of art from the biggest names on the  scene–Basquiat, Banksy, Picasso, and more.

Each of their sales have  delivered a profit thus far,  

which is why over 900,000 users have signed up.

Shares have sold out within minutes, but  our subscribers can skip the waitlist and  

get started today by clicking  the link in the description.

Now, let’s get back to Antwerp’s  massive infrastructure upgrade  

and exactly what’s involved in it. 

As our regular viewers will know, building  infrastructure in the middle of an existing  

city isn’t easy and as you can imagine there’s  a lot going on here – but we’ve lined-up a  

banging tour of the engineering highlights  for you, without too much Belgian waffle.

First up, there’s the Scheldt Tunnel,  

a huge new tunnel that’s being dug —  funnily enough — under the River Scheldt.

And this massive site behind me is where the  portal to that tunnel is being excavated.  

When you actually come to the construction site,  you’re just struck by the scale of this project.

The excavation that they’ve dug is huge, the  engineering is huge and everywhere you look  

it’s just a hive of activity and stuff  happening. It’s mesmerising to watch.

This massive tunnel is a key  part of completing the ring,  

helping drivers – and cyclists  – get under the river. 

Yes, not only is this a six-lane tunnel for  

cars — three in each direction — there’s  also a six-metre-wide tube just for bikes.

First of all we had to excavate  a huge construction pit going up  

to 25m below the surface. That meant  dewatering of the soil, excavating.

And from the moment we had this  construction pit ready we could  

start building the actual tunnel. And that  is what we are building at this moment.

What’s also impressive about this part of the  project is the way that new tunnel is being built,  

using what is my favourite tunnelling  technique — all because it makes for  

some truly epic engineering  — the immersed tube method.

The immersed tube method is quite simply a  masterclass in construction and engineering.

To create the 1,800-metre link,  eight huge segments — each  

weighing about 60,000 tonnes — will need  to be slotted together under the water.

First the team excavated a  huge new hole in Zeebrugge,  

about 100 kilometres away from Antwerp where  there’s a lot more space. Within it they’re  

constructing eight enormous  new concrete tunnel segments.

When ready, special seals will close  off their openings at each end. This  

vast hole will be flooded with water and the  segments will be floated to the surface. 

Tug boats will then be attached and – when the  right weather window opens in mid-2025 – each  

of the segments will be pulled slowly  through the sea 180-kilometres around  

the coast, through a part of the  Netherlands and down into Antwerp. 

Once there, and working  around the shipping schedules,  

each segment will be lowered  into a new trench on the seabed.

The water between each segment will  be pumped out creating a vacuum that  

pulls them together to create a watertight seal.

The sealed ends of each  segment can then be removed,  

it all gets buried under the  river bed, and you have a tunnel.

Wow, you see these things on paper but it’s  not until you come and stand in front of  

them that you realise how massive they are.  This thing is insane, it’s like a building.

That’s a highway tunnel,  that’s the service tunnel,  

another highway tunnel and  then another bike tunnel.

You wouldn’t think it’s gonna float but  it is gonna float all the way from here  

down to Antwerp, and then be sunk under the  water and connect a city. It’s incredible.

Back on the portal site here in Antwerp  you can see they’re getting ready for  

those immersed tube tunnel sections that I  just showed you to arrive here at the site.

So what’s being constructed at  the end of a new roadway is an  

exact replica of those segments I just showed you.

Same tunnels arranged in the same  way with exactly the same dimensions.

Cars will come off the existing roadway  up there, drive down into this cutting,  

start coming into this section of  tunnel and then drive into those  

immersed tube tunnel segments without even  realising it and head on under the river.

The construction of this tunnel alone is an  immense procedure that demands insane levels of  

accuracy – a dynamic that’s really energising  the amazing team tasked with building it. 

The quality has to be very good. We have a  lot of people who are checking, measuring,  

making sure that everything is in the  right place. Because once the water  

is filled here in the building  dock we can’t do anything again.

Immersed tube tunnels are nothing new but  they're normally built in a straight line. 

This route has a bend in it,  which is why each of the segments,  

like the one I'm currently standing in,  are being built with a noticeable curve.

At the other end of the tunnel is the new  Oosterweel Junction. Here, traffic will  

briefly appear above ground, either heading up to  the port or down into another new set of tunnels.

To make it less visible from a distance, the  entire junction is being sunk into the landscape.

Next, connecting the Oosterweel Junction to the  ring road will be these — the Canal Tunnels.

Four 2.5-kilometre tubes under the  Albert Canal, stacked two-by-two.

That is not a normal way to build a tunnel,  but they’re doing it this way so drivers can  

head in one of two directions once they join  up with the main ring road just down there.

Another reason is to save horizontal  space in this narrow waterway that’s  

used by big ships – preserving  the necessary depth for them.

To integrate the existing ring  road with the new tunnels,  

a key part of it — this massive viaduct  beside me — is having to be demolished.

Replacing it will be — yep, you guessed  it — yet more tunnels running under the  

canal and a huge new area covered in  parks, cycle tracks and walking paths.

But before the viaduct is taken down,  a temporary bypass must be built next  

to it first, keeping traffic moving  while the tunnelling work takes place.

We have a lot of obstacles underground  because it’s also the area where the old  

city walls were situated. We have  to build across the canal also.

We are working adjacent to the existing  bridge so the traffic has to be maintained.

And on the other hand we are very  close to the residential area.

So it’s a challenge to keep  the public supporting us.

Now, as we conclude our waffle-free tour you might  

be nervously wondering how much  all of this is going to cost. 

Well in total, the project is  expected to come in around €7BN,  

which is about USD $7.6BN at the time of filming.

Most of that is being borrowed from the Flemish  Government, but the European Investment Bank  

is also putting in half a billion Euros.  The money will be paid back using tolls.

Overall, there’s been a lot going on  around the city since work began in 2018,  

and there’s still a lot to do to  reach the 2030 target for completion.

Why 2030? Because this project is part  of a much bigger initiative to try and  

make Antwerp safer to navigate and easier to  access, with more green transport options.

Cleverly called Route Plan 2030,  

its aim is to reduce the city’s proportion  of car journeys from 70% down to 50%. 

The rest will be done via more sustainable means,  

like public transport, cycling,  electric scooters or walking.

One of the main buildings constructed for the  Oosterweel was a massive new Park and Ride,  

where people can ditch their cars and  jump on a tram heading to the city centre.

It’s all very positive stuff,  

but this project was first put forward way  back in 1996, so why has it taken so long?

Well, the short answer is it took over  a decade to decide which way to do it.

The previous plan was to have a bridge  instead of those canal tunnels — and with  

a 1.5km length and 150-metre height,  it would’ve been an absolute beast.

Although many businesses favoured the idea, in  2009, the public voted against it in a referendum.

There were concerns about the environmental  impact of a major new road close to homes,  

and some felt the idea was being  forced on them by Brussels.

They might have also been put off by  plans to call it the Lange Wapper.

In hindsight that maybe wasn't such a  great name for an infrastructure project.

If you’re not familiar with Flemish folklore,  

it refers to a giant who towered over the  people of Antwerp and tormented them —

a figure immortalised in this  rather interestingly-shaped statue.

Finally, after years of debate and consultation,  in 2014 the government of Flanders — the region  

of Belgium where Antwerp is located —  approved the plan that’s now underway.

It’s quite impressive. Such kind of tunnels  

are being built once every 30  years in Belgium. So, it’s big.

It may have taken a long time to get going  and there’s some significant engineering  

ahead to say the least – but now there  is light at the end of the tunnel.

Within the next ten years we will  change the city and its surroundings,  

so being part of that is quite an honour.

It’s something to be proud of. Later in  a few years, when I drive through the  

tunnel with my children, I will be able  to say ‘Look, that’s what Daddy did.’

Completing a project like this was never going  to be easy, but thanks to some exceptional  

engineering, the city now looks set to finally  finish what was started all those years ago.

This video was sponsored by Masterworks, you  can skip their waitlist at the link below.

Don’t forget that we’re raising awareness  of construction’s mental health crisis  

through our Get Construction Talking initiative.

You can learn more and find links to  support over at getconstructiontalking.org.

And as always, if you enjoyed this  video and would like to get more  

from the definitive video channel  for construction, from the channel  

that brings you onto freezing cold but epic  construction sites, hit that subscribe button.