Antwerp airport reopens after runway renovation

Major infrastructure works have been completed at Antwerp Airport. The runway was renovated. “This is an important step for the airport”, says Bruno De Saegher, chairman of LOM Vlaanderen. “These works were necessary to be able to continue to guarantee the safety of air traffic in the future.” The airport was closed from September 19 to October 25, 2022. Air traffic resumed on October 26.

Between September 19, 2022, and October 25, 2022, the surfacing of the runway was renovated. The damage that occurred in recent decades due to wear and tear and local subsidence was repaired. In addition, the difference in height at the transition between the runway and the runway strip (the zone around the runway) was eliminated. In this way, the risks of damage if an aircraft were to leave the runway are limited as much as possible. The runway had not had any structural maintenance for more than 40 years, so the renovation was necessary in order to be able to continue operating the airport safely. LOM Vlaanderen invested 9.5 million euros for these works.

Renovation of existing infrastructure

The runway measures 1510m by 45m. Almost 27,000 tonnes of asphalt and 4,500 metres of sewage were needed to renovate it. The works extend the life of the runway by 20 years. The works related solely to the renovation of the existing infrastructure. The runway was not extended or widened, the carrying capacity (PCN value) remained unchanged and the runway category also remained the same. The works guarantee the maintenance of the existing infrastructure, there is no functional change: the traffic that is possible at the airport remains identical and the conditions of the environmental permit (dated 2008) continue to apply in full.

Progress of the works

From an organizational point of view, the renovation of the runway was not self-evident. The airport had to be closed during the works and it was important to keep this closing period as short as possible. This was possible thanks to the good coordination between the client (LOM Vlaanderen), the contractor (TM Willemen – Aertssen) and the operator (LEM Antwerpen nv).

On September 19, the contractor started milling the asphalt pavement. Then 25 cranes set to work to break open the existing sewerage system. The runway was provided with at least 1 to locally 3 new underlayers of asphalt. The secondary lighting of the track cabling was ground into it. On October 11, the asphalt top layer could then be placed in one go and without seams. Then the light beacons were placed and 415 energy-efficient lamps were built into the runway. Finally, the renewed runway was flown in via a test flight, and the markings were applied to the pavement.

Much attention to sustainability

Antwerp Airport attaches great importance to sustainability. In addition to the renovation of the runway, a new sewerage system and drainage system were also provided. This makes it possible to buffer the rainwater that falls on the runway at the airport site and discharge it towards Boekenberg Park. Rainwater will therefore no longer be discharged into the public sewer system. The necessary agreements were made with Aquafin for this. The construction of the buffer basin will take place in the coming months, but will have no operational impact on airport activities.

Finally, the electricity cabling was also replaced, so that the runway can now use sustainable LED lighting.

CEO LEM Antwerp Eric Dumas: “I am pleased with this thorough renovation. This necessary investment will help ensure that Antwerp Airport can continue to fulfil the crucial role it fulfils in Flanders in the coming years.”