The ITA World Tunnel Congress 2027 in Antwerp will feature a major milestone in tunnelling: the first use of NEC4 in Belgium at the Oosterweel Link Project, which is also the world’s highest-value NEC4 ECC contract awarded today.
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NEC4 (New Engineering Contract, 4th Edition) is a comprehensive suite of standardised contracts for construction, engineering and service projects, developed by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). NEC4 contracts are structured to facilitate sound procurement and project management principles, while clearly defining legal relationships between parties. They are widely used internationally and endorsed by governments and industry users for projects of varying size and complexity. NEC4 contracts emphasise collaboration, transparency, flexibility, early problem identification, and shared responsibility, reducing disputes and promoting efficient project delivery. They are widely used on major infrastructure projects across the UK, Peru, Australia, Hongkong and Singapore, and now for the first time, in Belgium.
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The Oosterweel Link in Antwerp involves โฌ7.5 billion worth of NEC4-procured works. Because NEC4 is originally based on UK law, the Belgian team worked to carefully translate the contract, and adapt it to align with Belgian legislation and the specific needs of the project. This is a significant undertaking and a valuable contribution to the future of NEC4 contracting in continental Europe.
As a new user, the delivery team required bilingual training. The English-language accreditation courses were delivered by NEC, whilst the tailor-made Flemish training programme was developed in-house. The digital contract management system was translated into Flemish to accommodate the project’s unique requirements. This innovative procurement approach is setting new standards for collaboration in complex tunnelling infrastructure across Europe.
Government-owned client Lantis has established an ‘NEC4 Knowledge Centre Oosterweel Link’ to serve as an in-house training centre and information resource for all project teams working on the right-bank NEC4 contracts. Belgium’s first use of NEC4 results in a steep learning curve for all involved, and the centreโs mission is to safeguard knowledge and share lessons learnt for future NEC4 contracts in Belgium.
Join us in Antwerp to explore how NEC4 is shaping the future of tunnelling.
