In the prestigious construction project Palmax will process the Nieuwe Sluis about 26,000 tons of steel and will also take care of the additional work.

The Nieuwe Sluis provides better access and smoother flow from the Westerschelde to the Channel from Ghent to Terneuzen and beyond. As a result, the Nieuwe Sluis provides new economic activities in both the Dutch-Flemish and Flemish regions. This is good for employment.

The New Sluis becomes as large as the locks in the Panama Canal, namely 427 meters long, 55 meters wide and 16.44 meters deep. The lock is expected to be suitable for large marine vessels up to 366 meters long, 49 meters wide and 15 meters deep.

With the arrival of the New Sluis, larger vessels can sail through the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal to the port of Ghent. The capacity of the locks is also increasing, reducing the waiting time for inland waterway vessels. In 2022 the first ship sails through the Nieuwe Sluis. The Flemish-Dutch Scheldt Committee is the client and contractor combination Sassevaart (BAM and DEME) builds the Nieuwe Sluis.