Work has begun on the French Seine-Nord Europe Canal (SNEC), a major new trading route set to reshape European commerce. The €5.1 billion investment will boost trade between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands while aligning with the European Union's climate targets. Water transport emits five times less CO2 than land transport per tonne of goods moved.

Slated for completion in 2030, the vast 107-kilometre project aims to boost capacity for cheaper, faster, and more environmentally friendly river trade. The 54-metre-wide SNEC will replace the smaller Canal du Nord, which lacks the capacity to accommodate larger vessels. The funding will come from the French government, local authorities set to benefit economically, and the European Union.

Analysts estimate that the new canal could eliminate up to one million heavy goods vehicles from French roads annually. Nicolas Ledoux, CEO of Arcadis France, the company leading the project, remarked, "The Seine-Nord Europe Canal will not only enable a modal shift from the roadway to the river but will also create added economic, logistical, agricultural, and climatic value for the territories it crosses through."

The project is being carried out with a commitment to environmental sustainability. Wildlife corridors will be created to ensure the free movement of animal species, and environmental plantings will be established around the canal. Nicolas Ledoux stated, "We are very proud to help promote river transport, a high-performing, environmentally friendly, and economical mode of transport that responds to the challenge of energy transition."

However, the project has faced strong opposition. Protesters, including students from the University of Technology in Compiègne, where construction has already begun, argue that the destruction of natural habitats along the canal route outweighs the projected benefits.

Opponents are concerned that rather than reducing road transport, the canal will divert train traffic, which is even less carbon-intensive than river transport but more costly. They also fear that the disruption to natural waterways and the accumulation of water in the canal could exacerbate the droughts already affecting much of Europe, including France.

Source: Euronews