A large anti-storm barrier made of concrete was sent on Friday from the Port of Antwerp to the port of Nieuwpoort, which is located in northern Belgium close to the English Channel.
It will be installed there to protect Belgium against very strong storm surges, according to Belga news agency.
The barrier is an important part of storm infrastructure which the Maritime and Coastal Services Agency (Agentschap Maritieme Dienstverlening en Kust) is currently developing.
It is 23 meters wide, 42 meters long and 5 meters high. A steel structure will also be built later on to provide reinforcement during particularly bad weather conditions.
“The storm barrier is unique for our country,” Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) said. “It is necessary to protect Belgium from flooding.”
The structure is part of the Coastal Safety Plan, which aims to protect the entire coast from heavy storms by 2050.
