

Sarens Transport and Install New Bridge Built by Aelterman BV
Sarens’ Projects Solutions and Equipment Rental & Transport were both recently involved in a triumphant operation on behalf of their long-standing client, bridge building company Aelterman. Aelterman has trusted Sarens’ services and expertise for decades, and turned to Sarens for both the construction and installation of the new Wijnegem bridge over the Albert Canal. The bridge is intended to improve sustainable road connections for both pedestrians and cyclists.

First, Sarens Rentals provided project leadership and crane rental for the bridge’s construction at Aelterman’s workshops in Ghent. On this job site, high-tech equipment was used, including the LTM1500-8.1 and AC500 cranes, which were selected for their exceptional capabilities and were mobilised as efficiently as possible by road. Sarens used its cranes onsite twice marking a record execution time of two days for a project of this scale.
Next, Sarens Projects coordinated and executed the bridge transport and installation operation along the Albert Canal from Ghent to Wijnegem. Unlike all the other arched bridges Sarens has placed along the canal, this one was different in that they could transport it, fully assembled, from Aelterman’s workshops to the installation site at Wijnegem.
In the past, Sarens had to account for limited bridge heights along the canal, transporting each bridge and its arches separately via pontoon and later assembling them on site. This time, however, the raised bridges at the beginning of the Albert Canal made it possible to manoeuvre the fully welded and painted structure with a clearance height of 9,10m. The dimensions of the fully-assembled bridge measured:
- 88m long,
- 18m wide,
- 9m high.
To do this successfully, however, Sarens first had to perform a few operations:
- Using 4 x 10-axle lines of SPMTs they transportrf the bridge from ’s work site to a rented 90m pontoon.
- Next, this pontoon travelled along the Scheldt to the port of Antwerp, where Sarens’ twin barge, the Karel-Victor, had arrived just in time from its previous work in Duisburg.
- The bridge was transferred from the 90m pontoon onto the Karel-Victor, dropping off and then jacking it to position it on the deck. Using braces to create a heavy connection between the bridge and deck, since the pushers could only connect and push against the bridge.
With everything secured, Sarens could successfully manoeuvre underpasses such as the one below the Teunis bridges in Antwerp, where the new bridge and the Karel-Victor, had a freeboard of 40cm, passing slowly below with minimal clearance. In order to improve manoeuvring on the canal, pushboats were attached at both ends of the bridge.
Arriving at the installation site, Sarens jacked the bridge at the canal side, with the canal only partially closed. After three days of jacking, the bridge was at the correct height and installation work could begin.
For this final part of the operation, the canal was completely closed to all shipping traffic for a 12-hour period. Sarens connected anchor cables to both banks and, using winches, positioned the Karel-Victor to within the nearest centimetre at the provided jacking points. Once in the correct position, the bridge could then be installed.

Photograph courtesy of Aelterman
Sarens is pleased to have executed a successful operation for their long-standing client, and look forward to the rewarding challenges that come next!
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