The new sea lock in Ijmuiden in the Netherlands is nearing completion of its crucial salt dam project, designed to mitigate ecological impacts caused by saltwater intrusion into the North Sea Canal

While the lock – the largest in the world – can accommodate larger vessels, it also introduces challenges, notably the influx of saltwater that threatens the canal’s ecosystem and drinking water supplies.

To address this, the salt dam will employ ‘selective extraction’ techniques to sluice saltwater back to the sea.