Posted on May 24, 2018
The new fendering system between the Middle Lock (number 1 in the picture) and the new sea lock will be completed this month and that means that the closure of the Middle Lock will end. The lock gate chambers of the inner and outer head continue to grow in height (numbers 2 in the picture) and the builders are also working at the lock chamber walls (number 3 in the picture).
The IJmuiden Middle Lock will be available again
April was the month in which the Middle Lock was closed due to the construction of the new fendering system. The fendering system was completed on Thursday 3 May, so now ships are can use the Middle Lock again. In relation to safety, the public road across the lock complex will be closed until next year (spring 2019).
Lock gate chambers are still growing in height
The lock gate chambers of the inner and outer head continue to grow rapidly in height. An additional crane will be installed at the lock gate chamber of the inner head to get all the reinforcement steel into place. The lock gate chamber of the outer head grows faster in height than that of the inner head, because it has been designed for only one lock gate and therefore has less surface area. By the end of May, the rear wall of the inner head will be at its highest point before the complete structure will be sunk this summer. The structure will sink from 5 metres below to 22 metres below NAP.
Construction work on the lock chamber walls
A series of construction activities on the future lock chamber walls will be carried out in May, including the application of a smooth finish to the surface of the walls, the installation of anchor beams and the drilling of anchors. Another two metres of concrete will be poured on top of the anchor beams. The top of the concrete walls will then be finished by a smooth rounded steel cover slab. This way, the lock chamber walls are gradually taking their final shape.
Source: Port of Amsterdam
