Canal Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten

The Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten canal was created not only to promote the transport of paper, agricultural and textile products, but also to allow the calcareous water of the Meuse to drain into the poor Kempen soils. In addition, the section between Turnhout and Dessel was the first connection to depart from the Bocholt-Herentals canal. It's a good thing that this was realized, because because of the isolated location, no one wanted to invest there. Trade and industry only flourished with the construction of the canal, the railway and the 'steenweg' to Antwerp.
In 1844 the construction and excavation of the canal from Dessel to Turnhout began. At the time, the Oude Kaai was the 'end point' of the canal. It was not until 1875 that the extension to Schoten was a fact. Turnhout was given a new quay, a little further downstream at the turning basin. Dozens of brick factories were built through the canal. One of the first dynamite factories in the world was founded in 1872 by a French company in Arendonk. After the completion of the canal, the first brickyards were established in Beerse, soon followed by the non-ferrous industry.
Due to the increasing traffic, a complete restoration of the old waterway was necessary in 1965. In the first place, widening works were carried out on the canal so that ships of up to 600 tons could sail on this waterway. Swap points have been constructed on the narrow canal and local widening where ships can cross each other. Locks and drawbridges are also plentiful. The 64-kilometre-long canal bridges a height difference of 25.45 metres with ten locks.

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