Under his supervision, four boat lifts were constructed and Canal du Centre opened in 1917.
Photo credit: Yann Arthus-Bertrand
The original canal could accommodate boats of up to 350 tons only.
Instead of enlarging the old canal along the full extent of its existing length, a bypass was created.
The Strepy-Thieu boat lift lies in the municipality of Le Rulx, Hainaut, Belgium.
The lift increased river traffic from 256 kilo ton in 2001 to 2,295 kilo ton in 2006.
The boat lift is promoted as a tourist attraction in its own right.
Photo credit
Sources:Wikipedia/www.canal-du-centre.be/services-techniques.met.wallonie.be
