Ostend port is restructuring its entrance. By building two new breakwaters, deeper in sea and by dredging a new fairway, a broader and straighter port entrance will be created, allowing larger vessels to enter the port. This will also bring about an increase in capacity. In the past, vessels had to navigate an elongated S-shaped approach route to enter Ostend port. Only vessels up to 160 metres were able to do so, bigger vessels did not have sufficient manoeuvring space.
Works have progressed sufficiently to allow a new leading light to be taken into service shortly.
On February 8th 2010, at ten o’clock, leading light (128°) will be extinguished and the approach route will no longer be navigable in this direction. At the same time, the new leading light (143°) will be taken into service, together with the new approach route, which will be marked by three pairs of lateral buoys.
