Ongoing drought conditions are significantly affecting maritime traffic through the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. The reduced water levels have necessitated a maximum permissible draft of 12.35 meters for vessels navigating the waterway. Furthermore, the three locks located in Terneuzen will be closed for several hours during periods of low tide, as confirmed by North Sea Port.
This situation means that freight forwarders and operations managers must account for these new restrictions when planning shipments through this vital canal. Deeper draft vessels will either need to lighten their loads or seek alternative routes, potentially incurring additional costs and transit times. The intermittent lock closures will also introduce delays, impacting schedule reliability and requiring adjustments to estimated arrival and departure times for cargo destined for or originating from the port of Ghent.