The Belgian energy supplier Elia wants to further secure the supply of power in Belgium, particularly in the port area of Antwerp. To achieve this, the current grid needs to be improved. For this project, which is known as the Brabo-project, Visser & Smit Hanab has carried out Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) under the River Scheldt, between Ketenislaan in Beveren and Scheldelaan in Antwerp. The route runs parallel to the Liefkenshoek Tunnel and connects the grid from the Waaslandhaven to the port on the right bank of the river.
The project involved creating a borehole of 1,260 metres in length, into which a bundle of four HDPE sleeved pipes with a diameter of 250mm (per sleeved pipe) was inserted. This required the use of the 450-tonne rig. The drilling work commenced on 24 August and was successfully completed two weeks later.