Sarens has installed the new Bospoort Bridge deck over the Brussels Charleroi Canal in Halle, Belgium, marking a key step in the city’s infrastructure upgrade.
The work involved lifting a 150-tonne bridge deck into position as part of a project aimed at improving access for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users.
Before the lift, the 34 m long and 9 m wide bridge deck was loaded in Sint Pieters Leeuw and transported to Halle by barge. Using inland waterways reduced the need for heavy road transport and allowed the oversized structure to arrive directly at the project site.
After the deck reached Halle, Sarens deployed two cranes to lift the structure across the canal and place it above its future operating level. The lift required careful control due to the size of the deck and the need to maintain safe access along the busy waterway.
The bridge deck has been set at a temporary height of 1.6 m above its final closed position. This allows vessel traffic on the Brussels Charleroi Canal to continue while the remaining construction work is completed.
Once finished, the Bospoort Bridge will operate as a movable table bridge, improving local crossing access while keeping the canal open for commercial and recreational vessels.
The project is being delivered with BESIX and the City of Halle, combining civil works, heavy lifting and inland waterway transport for the city’s mobility plans.
