The
port of Ghent is the third biggest
port in
Belgium. The first port of Ghent was situated at the
Scheldt river and later on at the
Lys river. Since the Middle Ages Ghent has sought for a connection to the sea. In the 13th century via the Lieve canal to the
Zwin near
Damme, in the 16th century via the Sassevaart, in the 17th century via the Ghent-Bruges Canal. Since the 19th century by the
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal which connects via the
Western Scheldt to the
North Sea. The port of Ghent is accessible by ships of the
Panamax size, and in February 2015 the construction of a new lock at
Terneuzen was announced, which will maintain near-parity with those of the
Panama Canal expansion project.