The River Scheldt Radar Network has been a crucial tool in guiding vessels in the Scheldt area since 1991. It comprises six manned traffic control centres and more than sixty radar stations. Thanks to these radars, traffic controllers within the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) can monitor and guide shipping throughout the entire area.
Some radar towers date back to before the River Scheldt Radar Network was established and are therefore considerably older than the rest. They are often nearing the end of their service life and will need to be replaced in the coming years. In other areas, there was previously little or no need for radar. There, the Scheldt Radar Chain is being expanded with new radar towers.
At Oostgat a new radar tower replaces the old Kaapduin tower.
Expansion of VTS, expansion of SRK
At the end of 2025, Vessel Traffic Services in the Scheldt region were extended to the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal. On the Dutch side of the canal, two new radar towers were already operational: Zijkanaal A and Autrichehaven. Two further towers were added in 2026, at Goese Kade and Zevenaarhaven.
On the Flemish side, North Sea Port was the one to request more radar towers to facilitate guidance right up to the docks. To address this, Flanders erected five new radar towers at strategic locations within the Port of Ghent and on the Zelzate Bridge. Additionally, new marine radio transmitters were integrated to ensure optimal VHF communication.
Update on the oldest structures
For some of the older towers, a complete overhaul is in order. The radar towers in the Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe and at Waarde were part of the coastal radar network that was operational even before the SRK came into existence. They are now being replaced by new models, which are more user-friendly and easier to maintain.
The new radar tower at Hedwige polder got a touristic expansion.
The Saeftinghe radar tower was part of the limited coastal radar network. The new radar tower in the Hertogin Hedwigepolder is a real showpiece: the new tower is being built on Panorama Hill and will feature an outer layer designed for recreational use. The tower reached its highest point on 7 May.
The Kaapduin radar tower stands on a structure built on top of a bunker that has been disused for at least 75 years. The new tower will be situated at the dune crossing in the dunes near Dishoek and will be named the Oostgat radar tower, as the radar covers the Oostgat. This too will be an architectural masterpiece. The contract for construction has now been awarded, with works set to begin in August–September 2026. Preparatory work is currently underway.
In the coming years, the Waarde radar tower will also be replaced: it was built for the limited coastal radar chain and has therefore reached the end of its service life. Finally, at some locations we are supplementing the existing radars with ‘gap fillers’: small radars with a limited range that help to fill in blind spots in the radar image. This is necessary, for example, if new environmental features, such as high-voltage cables, interfere with the existing radars.