JV SGS – SBE Assures Quality for Construction of Belgian Sea Lock

Oct. 24, 2012 - PRLog -- SGS Provides Quality Assurance in Belgium
SGS Belgium/INTRON along with its partner SBE was awarded a contract by Deurganckdoksluis NV, established by Vlaamse Havens NV together with the Antwerp Port Authority, to provide quality assurance for the construction of lock gates and bridges for a new sea lock at the Port of Antwerp between the Deurganckdock and the Waasland canal. During the five-year agreement dated July 12, 2012, JV SGS-SBE, in cooperation with a technical team of the Flemish government, will develop a tailored quality assurance system to include a procedures manual and protocols for material and construction inspections of foreign-produced components.

JV SGS – SBE to Assist in Developing the Port of Antwerp
The project, which started in October of 2011, is currently the largest infrastructure works in Flanders. Although the new lock is to have the same 500 meters long and 68 meters wide dimensions as the Berendrecht lock, the draught will be deeper making it the largest sea lock in the world. Furthermore, the Port of Antwerp development project, scheduled for completion within 53 months, will ensure that Waasland Port, the dock area on the left bank of the Scheldt, is built to fulfill a major role in the development of the Port of Antwerp. Tthe new lock will help to further develop efficient, multimodal and sustainable goods transport, which will benefit not only the Port of Antwerp and Flanders but also Europe.

JV SGS – SBE Chosen for Belgian Project
Due to the fact that the majority of the steel fabrication of lock gates and bridges is to be conducted in Asia, the Flemish government (http://www.tweedesluiswaaslandhaven.be/en/nv-vlaamse-havens) searched for an independent partner to manage the quality assurance and inspections of foreign-produced components in order to verify compliance with current Flemish and European standards and regulations. It was of top priority that quality and reliability of equipment were ensured in the earliest stages. After careful and thoughtful examination of the world's leading providers, Flemish officials were extremely impressed with JV SGS – SBE (http://www.sbe.be/) outstanding expertise and vast experience as well as recent SGS involvement in the inspection of the lock gates at the Panama Canal. In addition, the SGS global network and ability to deploy resources worldwide made it perfectly clear that SGS was the best choice to assist in the successful completion of this distinguished Belgian project.

JV SGS - SBE – SBE Expert Quality Assurance
During the project, JV SGS - SBE quality assurance experts are responsible for producing the procedures manual, determining training requirements, overseeing quality control inspections and conducting audits. A quality control procedures manual created by JV SGS - SBE specialists and specifically tailored for this project will define rigid rules in accordance with international regulations and standards to be followed by manufacturers, constructors, inspectors and trainers. JV SGS - SBE professionals will develop training programs needed to prepare, test and certify new in-house inspectors and periodic supplemental trainings to further educate and preserve the high level of all inspectors at the Deurganckdocklock. In addition to road-mapping the project with a quality assurance procedures manual and training programs, on-site JV SGS - SBE inspectors will conduct quality control examinations and audits of all manufactured components to be included in the construction of the lock gates and bridges.

SGS quality assurance (http://www.sgs.com/en/Construction/Services-Related-to-Su...) will ensure that materials, products, machinery, equipment and industrial facilities are manufactured and maintained in compliance with all specified and mandatory requirements, contractual specifications and quality standards. Moreover, SGS quality assurance (http://www.sgs.com/en/Construction/Services-Related-to-Supply-Chain/Quality-Assurance-and-Quality-Control.aspx) services will ensure safe and reliable facilities, provide Belgian officials with the certainty that structures, components, materials and systems meet prescribed quality standards and satisfactorily perform throughout the duration of implementation and substantially increase the value of assets.

JV SGS – SBE is particularly proud to accept this essential role in the development of the Port of Antwerp enhancing the overall Belgian port capability and positively impacting the Belgian economy.

For further information, please contact:

SGS Benelux
Wim van Loon
Executive Director Benelux
Noorderlaan 87, B-2030
Antwerpen
Belgium
t: +32 (0)3 545 48 11
f: +32 (0)3 545 48 19

E-mail: industrial.pr@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/construction

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 70,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,350 offices and laboratories around the world.