Port of Seville lock system

Spain

With an annual traffic of approximately 4 million tons, the Port of Seville is the only commercial fluvial port in Spain. The new lock is 434 m long and 40 m wide. In addition to guaranteeing the protection of Seville against new floods, this lock will permit short sea shipping to increase, as ships of up to 292 m in length can now enter the port. The floor wall defence has also been moved 2 km from its current location.

The largest river port in Spain

As complementary works, 5.65 km of roads and 3.43 km of railway track have been built, as well as three tilting bridges with a 40 m span (two of roads and one of rail), which allow traffic onto the lock. The adaptation of the navigation channel to the opening of the lock has required deep dredging in about 2 km of the course of the Guadalquivir River.

Structurally, the work is composed of two large symmetrical gravity walls with heights between 17 and 20 m. The selected doors are of the sliding type, they move perpendicular to the axis of the lock, supported and hung on two rails and diagonally opposite each other. In total, four doors were built. The system of emptying and filling is done through four galleries embedded in the structure, which allow balancing the levels on both sides of the doors. This operation is performed by gravity, controlling the flow of water through four large sluice gates.

Currently, Seville is a reference in short sea shipping.

Ports : Ports Infrastructures