2016-07-05 - The Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region and the President of the Port of Brussels today inaugurated work on the Brussels Cruise Terminal, the passenger terminal of the Port of Brussels.
The quay, which will be 240 metres long and 12 metres wide, is under construction on the Canal’s left bank in the outer harbour, at Rue de Meudon in Neder-Over-Heembeek. The initial phase of the work involves driving 47 piles measuring 11 to 13 metres into the Canal bed, on which the slabs of the new quay will be laid.
From 13,000 to 35,000 passengers per year
The terminal will allow river cruise boats to dock in Brussels that are confined by their size to the outer harbour and hence the Van Praet bridge. These boats can be up to 135 metres long and take up to 200 passengers.
Such boats already call in at Brussels on 160 days in the year (13,000 passengers in 2015), but have to dock at Quai de Heembeek, an industrial quay that the Port intends to retain for this purpose. The construction of the Brussels Cruise Terminal will offer these boats a terminal worthy of Brussels’ status as an international capital. The socio-economic study prior to the commencement of the project concluded that the terminal could receive 35,000 passengers per year in the coming years, representing an economic benefit to Brussels of around 5 million euros per year.
This is a major project for the Port of Brussels, developed as part of the Canal Plan, in collaboration with the Brussels-Capital Region, the City of Brussels, Brussels Mobility and Visit Brussels, among other partners.
Footbridge and restaurant
The Chaussée de Vilvorde is being redeveloped by Brussels Mobility, and will be crossed by a footbridge providing access to Neder-Over-Heembeek, to be constructed by the City of Brussels. The Port of Brussels will operate a catering facility on the dock.
The project’s total cost is 5.9 million euros, 5 million of which will be funded by the Port of Brussels through regional allocations. The Port has also received European funding from the ERDF for half of this amount. The rest of the terminal’s financing will come from Brussels Mobility (800,000 euros) and the City of Brussels (140,000 euros).
The architectural and technical design of the Brussels Cruise Terminal will be undertaken by a consortium consisting of Groupe GEI, Dessin et construction sprl and Ateliers Devisscher et Vincentelli, selected following a European tender.
More information: www.port.brussels
