Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
The Seine-Nord Europe Canal Company (SCSNE) has awarded several contracts for the Canal project: environmental works on over one hundred hectares at two sites in the Somme Valley and the creation of six ponds in the Upper Somme; preparatory environmental works in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments; the rehabilitation and construction of several quays on the Canal du Nord for supplying the construction sites; and the initial earthworks for the Oisy-le-Verger lock (see site plan of these worksites in the appendix). All of these contracts include a social inclusion clause (CIAE) which commits the companies to employing workers in integration programs.
The compensation program provides for the creation of 420 hectares of environmental improvements in the Santerre Haute-Somme region , spread from the Santerre agricultural plateau to the Tortille valley in the north of the department, passing through the Somme valley.
The notified contract includes two lots of ecological developments which will allow the restoration/creation of functional wetlands, providing habitats favorable to the reproduction of wetland species, the renaturalization of banks, the planting of woodlands, and the improvement of the ecological conditions of still waters to promote the maintenance of existing species, in particular by removing invasive exotic species.
For both of these markets, preparation is underway and work is scheduled to begin in December 2025 and continue until March 2026.
The work for this contract will be carried out on:
These ecological development works are awarded to the group of companies whose representative is SAS CIME Environnement based in Millonfosse in the Nord department.
These ecological development works are awarded to the group of companies whose representative is Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France based in Marcq-en-Barœul in the Nord department.
In the Somme region, more specifically in the Veaux valley at Étricourt-Manancourt, a site will benefit from the following environmental improvements: the creation of five ponds with a surface area of 100 m² each , and the planting of helophytic and meadow vegetation. These improvements are fully aligned with the Avoid-Reduce-Compensate approach and are being implemented in anticipation of the start of the Canal construction work.
The project aims to create a network of five ponds, each one meter deep, providing alternative habitats to replace those located along the canal's route. This reduction measure helps create habitats favorable to various species, such as amphibians.
An additional pond will be created in the immediate vicinity of the "grand Marais" site in Moislains.
A consortium of companies, all based in the Hauts-de-France region, with Hydram, located in Rosult in the Nord department , acting as the lead contractor, is carrying out the work. The work will begin this autumn and last for several months. It will be followed by a 24-month maintenance and management period before the facility is transferred to a management company.
In Artois-Cambrésis, following initial work in 2024 and 2025 on sites acquired outside the Canal's right-of-way (Oisy-le-Verger, Aubigny-au-Bac and Bertincourt sectors), compensation work will continue upstream of the TOARC works. This includes the creation of two ponds for amphibians , located near the Havrincourt woods, the restoration of existing meadows , and the establishment of micro-habitats for wildlife (hibernaculum, wood piles, bat roosts and bird nesting boxes), notably at the Grand Bois de Ytres, the Bois de la Crête à Renard, and in the Sensée Valley. As part of this contract, the company also has the mission of identifying and marking invasive alien species and treating species present in the technical areas of this contract, as well as implementing the necessary preventive and protection measures for sensitive areas, protected flora and fauna, upstream of the main works.
The preparatory environmental work on sector 4 (Pas-de-Calais and Nord) is awarded to the group of companies whose representative is SMDA based in Trappes in the Yvelines department, associated with the company CIME Environnement of Millonfosse in the Nord.
For each of the works planned in this contract, a preparation period of 1 month will be required for the companies before starting.
Illustrating SCSNE's commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of the construction site, 9 quays are being built or redeveloped along the existing Canal du Nord, to allow the supply of materials to the construction sites by river, in accordance with the materials supply and excavated material management scheme adopted by the SCSNE Supervisory Board in October 2020.
The rehabilitation of the existing quays of Pont L'Évêque in the Oise, of Languevoisin, of Rouy-le-Petit and of Péronne located in the Somme is awarded to the company Spie Batignolles Nord based in Calais in the department of Pas-de-Calais.
The construction of the new quay in Catigny (Oise) is awarded to the group of companies whose representative is CHARIER Génie Civil based in Marne-la-Vallée in the department of Seine-et-Marne.
For both of these markets, site preparation takes place over 3 months, and work will begin during the first half of 2026 for a duration of 7 months.
The Oisy-le-Verger lock, located at the northern entrance to the Seine-Nord Europe Canal, is one of the most imposing on the route with a water drop of 25 meters. As with the 5 other large-capacity locks that will be built, the internal dimensions of the lock chamber are 12,5 meters wide and 195 meters long.
The recently awarded contract concerns the earthworks for the upper part of the excavation ( the term "excavation of a lock" refers to its digging ) of this lock.
This contract was awarded to a consortium of companies, with Guintoli, based in Saint-Etienne-du-Grès (Bouches-du-Rhône), acting as the lead contractor . Following a three-month site preparation phase, work will begin in the first half of 2026 and will last nine months.
Prior to the work on the Allaines lock, work to divert the Allaines-Bouchavesnes-Bergen municipal road is planned: the preparation of the land in the area of the temporary diversion, the earthworks under the road structure of the temporary restoration, the construction of the road and its shoulders, as well as the connections to the existing road network.
The works for the temporary diversion of the Allaines-Bouchavesnes (Somme) local road have been awarded to the company EUROVIA based in Camon in the Somme.
For this contract, site preparation takes place over 4 months, and work will begin during the first half of 2026 for a duration of 2 months.
Added December 15, 2025 - Updated December 15, 2025
