To sail into Antwerp Harbour, all vessels, including recreational vessels, must be equipped with AIS and VHF radio.
BHPian Jeroen recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Four-day trip to Antwerp; fantastic sailing adventure and an impression on Antwerp City Centre
I just returned from a fantastic four-day trip to Antwerp, Belgium!
With Mrs. D showing her grandson Ben off to the folks in Barbados, I have the next two weeks to myself. I am under strict instructions not to buy another car. (Last time Mrs. D left me alone for two weeks, I purchased the Mini!)
Not everybody likes travelling or sailing alone. I do like company, but I’m equally ok just by myself. It also means I can do what I like/prefer.
The shortest way to get to Antwerp is still 125 km one way. Too much distance for me to cover in a single day.
Also, all my research and planning have shown that it is quite complicated to sail into Belgium and specifically into Antwerp Harbour. I had also learned via several marina reviews that the harbourmaster in Tholen knew everything there is to know about travelling to and from Antwerp by boat. I gave her a call the week before, and we had a very pleasant chat.
I told her I was a part-time harbour master as well, which always makes for a bit of bonding and gossiping about visiting sailors and their peculiar habits, of course.
Tholen was about 85 km, so doable in a day, if I left early enough. I left plenty early, because we got up at 03.45 am. We set off at 04.15 am for Amsterdam Airport to drop Mrs. D off for her trip to Barbados. Between 1900 and 0600, most of the Dutch motorways have a speed limit of 130 km/h. So it was pedal to the metal all the way. I dropped Mrs D at 05.05 am at Amsterdam airport. Again, pedal to the metal to get back home, made it at 06.10 AM I had all my things ready and loaded up the Jeep and made for the Marina. By 07.00 am, it was Lekko Fore and Aft! Sirion was underway!
The first stretch of this trip I had done before. All the way to the Volkerak-locks. Early morning, gorgeous weather.
On the Hollands Diep, it was very busy. Endless barges, tugboats, pushbarges and some yachts going both ways.
I made it to the Volkerak Lock and barges and pleasure craft were piling into the lock. I got close, but in the end could not fit Sirion in. Had to wait for about 45 minutes. The lockmaster let this huge barge in first and the yachts had to get in between the barge and the lock wall. It was pretty tight with about 70cm clearance for Sirion!
We passed the Volkerak lock without further problems. Tight, but if it fits, it fits!
Lots of traffic, this is a well-loaded barge!
Make no mistake, the Hollands Diep and the Volkerak are no open sea, but they are BIG waterways! But surprisingly, you have to take good care because it can go from 10 meters depth to less than 1 m very quickly. So accurate navigation and understanding what all the buyos mean is paramount!
Eventually, Sirion entered the Schelde-Rijn Kanaal (Canal). Which leads to Antwerp. It’s a long stretch, but it’s pretty!
When I got close to Tholen I gave the harbour master another call. She remembered me and had reserved a nice spot for me in the harbour.
I spoke to the harbourmaster for about 30 minutes. She provided me with a lot of very valuable information on how to navigate around Antwerp Harbour. She provided me with a couple of booklets and a couple of tables on times, radio frequency, bridge opening times and so on.
I went for a little stroll around Tholen. Nice little town.
Of course, a windmill. This is the Netherlands, duh!
Notice how they put this electrical connection/switch box on stilts? That’s because during emergency floods, the water can get that high!!
The Dutch take their plants very seriously. They need to be looked after, taken care of, put out in the sun now and then.
I had a simple dinner in town and made my way back to Sirion. I wanted to fine-tune my so-called “passage plan” for the next day.
Here are some of the things specific to sailing in Belgium and Antwerp. First of all, in order to enter Belgium, all vessels must have an FD number. This is a unique number assigned to each vessel, including recreational vessels entering Belgian waters.
I had ordered it more than a week ago online. But it had not come. So I phoned them and checked. They told me they had issued Sirion with an FD number weeks ago. I told them, that would be unlikely as I applied only a week ago. After some confusion, it appeared another “Sirion” owner had applied several weeks ago and was subsequently given a FD number.
The Belgium guy told me he thought my mail was a mistake, resent from the other owner. No problem, he told me, I’ll process it right away! Sure enough, I had my FD number in the mail within minutes.
To sail into Antwerp Harbour, all vessels, including recreational vessels, must be equipped with AIS and VHF radio. And must be licensed to carry and use this equipment. Not a problem for Sirion and me.
The rules on the waterways in Belgium are a little different as well. The most important one is that large vessels (>20m) always have right of way from smaller vessels (<20M). In the Netherlands, that is technically not always the case. In practice, you would always let the big boys go first.
Once you enter Belgium by waterway way you need to call a specific radio station and announce that you are entering Belgium and provide them with your FD number. As in the Netherlands, all of Antwerp harbour is controlled by VTS sectors. Vessel Traffic Services. You need to call them every time you enter their respective sector. I found the Belgian operators very efficient and pleasant to deal with.
The last stretch of the journey was the one I was most apprehensive about. A stretch of canal is narrowed due to all sorts of ongoing construction work. There is an alternating one-way system in operations. Depending on the time of the day, traffic is allowed to flow East or flow West. You need to pre-book your passage. To complicate matters further, various bridges and locks to get to Antwerp Marina Willemdok were out of order. Which meant the two bridges I had to pass, had to be booked as well. Or rather, I had to be there at a designated time.
A lot of information to absorb. So I made a passage plan and I entered all radio communication points and frequencies in the map. Took me the better part of two hours before I felt comfortable with the plan and my understanding of all the various procedures and processes.
I turned in early and the next day Sirion slipped its mooring at around 08.00am.
Within five minutes, still in the Netherlands, I had to pass another lock, the Kreekrak locks. Huge locks. There was a lot of wind blowing across the canal.
I was told by the lock operator to enter the lock behind the barge. This barge is being blown sideways. He is not turning port, he is effectively side slipping to counter the strong cross wind.
This is one huge lock. The correct nautical term, if the moderators allow me, is “Big Ass” lock!
On my way to Belgium.
Once I reached the Noordlandbrug I called the Port Authorities to notify them of Sirion entering Belgium. They asked for my FD number! Good job I had one!
Only a few kilometres later, I passed Antwerp’s famous Sea Locks. Until a few years ago, these were the largest Sealocks in the world. Obviously, the Dutch could not let that pass and built an even bigger one. Not much bigger, only 2 meter. But the Dutch have the record for the world’s largest sea lock
(https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave…ock-world.html)
It was incredibly busy. Oceangoing vessels are making their way, an endless stream of various barges going back and forth. Tugs are buzzing around. Constant chatter on the radio. The Belgian traffic operators were very good. Very pleasant, very matter of fact and to the point. Always polite and helpful.
Twice I was not one hundred percent sure what to do, on which side of a bridge I was allowed to pass. I called them on the radio and they were very helpfull and provided excellent and practical details. Very helpful!
some impressions
I was told by the Sector operator to be aware of this huge tanker leaving. It reversed out of one of the docks, assisted by four tugs. I love to watch, so I just slowed down and more or less let Sirion float. Within 5 minutes, the Sector operator checked with me; was anythign amiss as I was not moving. I told her I had worked in the merchant navy and was just enjoying this well-orchestrated ballet of this grand old lady being helped out by four assistants. She liked that.
Notice how close Sirion is to some of these ocean-going vessels? I had to be on top of my game, constant attention is required, but still plenty to see and enjoy too!
If you ever find yourself in Antwerp, book yourself a trip on one of these sightseeing tours. Very comfortable and you get to see all of this. Or better yet, do it on your own boat as I did.
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