The lock, situated in the municipality of Beveren, was opened on 10 June 2016 in the presence of King Philippe of Belgium.

On 24 October 2011, work started on the Kieldrecht Lock on the left bank of the Scheldt.

[7] Based on the design of the Berendrecht Lock, it has the same length and width, but a bottom at 17.8 metres (58 ft) below TAW.

To construct the lock, 9.1 million m3 of earth was excavated, and 22,000 tonnes of structural steel, three times the amount required to build the Eiffel Tower.

Costing €340 million, of which 50% is financed by the European Investment Bank, the Flemish KBC Bank also made an €81 million credit line available, with the balance provided by the Antwerp Port Authority and the Flemish Government.