Renovations of engineering structures continue for the teams at John Cockerill Services in northern France
September 11th 2025
In recent months, several major projects have been underway simultaneously for the Public Procurement and New Works teams in the Northern Region.
Nicolas Van Peer, Business Manager, explains: “In recent years, our river and maritime activities have grown significantly. We have secured and are currently working on several major contracts, such as the Fontinettes and Cuinchy locks, and will soon be working on the Douai lock. Our expertise will also be put to use in the refurbishment of the VIRAX pumps at the port of Dunkirk and in a refurbishment operation on the François 1er gate at the port of Le Havre. Winning these contracts and projects demonstrates the confidence our clients continue to place in us, and we are very proud of that.”
A quick look back at current projects: First, we head to the Cuinchy lock near Béthune, where, since mid-June, Project Manager Thomas Douchin, supported by Site Manager Laurent Henry and his team, has been working on replacing the upstream and downstream gates of the structure.
The renovation project was divided into two phases: first, the removal of the intermediate gates so that they could be stripped of asbestos, and then a four-week downtime phase, during which the work was carried out (manufacture of new hinges, replacement of pivots and seals, refurbishment of the gate leaves, reinstallation and adjustment of the gates, and hydraulic and electrical work).
Next, Alioune Fall, Project Manager, supported by Julien Broucke, Site Manager, and his teams, take us to Arques, familiar territory. Here we are at the Fontinettes lock in Arques for the refilling operation following the refurbishment of the structure’s lift gate. VNF (Voies Navigables de France) entrusted us with managing the project to rebuild the electromechanical components of the downstream gate. Our teams coordinated the various stages of the work, namely: the replacement of the lifting beams, the lifting gate’s counterweights and guide rails, the seals and the lifting gate’s guide system, the repair and reinforcement of the structure, the replacement of the motorisation system and, finally, the testing and recommissioning. Everything went smoothly thanks to the seamless collaboration between our teams, those of ECOVEX for project management, VNF for project ownership, and our various partners.
Nicolas Van Peer concludes: “Despite sometimes difficult conditions and very tight deadlines, these operations have been a great success, and I would like to congratulate my teams and our machining workshop. Some key figures: two teams working around the clock, 4,000 hours of work on site, 1,000 hours in the workshop, four weeks of work, 14 companies working together and, at the same time, preparations for the next project on the Douai lock in September.”
These projects reinforce John Cockerill’s position as a recognised player in the field of waterways, mechanics and metalwork applied to demanding technical environments.
Cuinchy lock at Givenchy-lès-La Bassée (62), France