The inclined plane was constructed in 1961. More than half a century ago, on April 1, 1968, the 1.4-kilometer-long inclined plane was put into use. It has a slope of almost 5%. At the top of the slope is a one-hundred-and-fifty-meter-high tower, one of the tallest structures in our country.

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Operation

The cables pull the two caissons mounted on rails up (or down) at a speed of 1.2 meters per second. Each caisson has a counterweight so that the two caissons can work independently of each other.

A ship's caisson is almost 90 meters long and 12 meters wide and rests on 236 wheels fitted with suspension so that water does not slosh out of the caissons during movement.

Useless work?

After its opening, the number of boats using the boat lift systematically decreased as the coal industry disappeared. As a result, the inclined plane was labeled as a useless construction, especially in Flanders. However, its uselessness is now under discussion as there is an increase in the number of ships and tonnage.