A new £3.7billion canal in France is set to connect three European economies, marking the first new French waterway built in over five decades. The Seine-Nord Europe Canal, a wide-gauge waterway, will serve as the central link in the Seine-Escaut river link, crossing Hauts-de-France and allowing large barges to travel efficiently between France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Capacity and Route Details
The canal will accommodate large barges, increasing capacity from 650 to 4,400 tonnes, enabling the efficient transportation of goods. On completion, expected around 2030, the 107km (66-mile) route will connect the Oise River to the Dunkirk-Escaut Canal, drawing similarities to the busy Suez Canal, a sea-level waterway in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
The project reportedly allows trade barges to bypass the bottleneck of the Canal du Nord, making it quicker and easier to transport goods by water. It also aims to reduce road traffic in France by approximately one million heavy goods vehicles per year.
Infrastructure and Environmental Plans
The major project will include 62 road and rail crossings, as well as three canal bridges. It will also contain seven locks, including a junction lock with the Canal du Nord. Over 1,200 hectares of planting and environmental improvements are planned as part of the project.
Criticism and Development
Despite its potential benefits, the plans have faced criticism. France's own version of Extinction Rebellion has denounced the project as putting economic growth over “ecological purpose.” Other climate activists have also cast doubt on whether the canal will significantly reduce CO2 emissions as canal executives claim.
Despite the canal’s stop-start history, the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe is confident its construction timeline can be met and the canal will become operational in 2030. Since its inception, the project has been developed in collaboration with residents, businesses, and local authorities in the Compiègne-Noyon area, the Santerre Haute-Somme region, and the Artois-Cambrésis region.
Until the canal is operational, teams at the Seine-Nord Europe Canal Company aim to keep locals updated on amenities near them, the benefits of the project, the work program and the location of worksites.
