▁the ▁later ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁completely ▁new ▁port ▁area ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁bank . ▁In ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁Ant werp ▁DE ME ▁built ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁× ▁ 6 8   m ▁Ber endre cht ▁Lock , ▁the ▁largest ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁which ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁several ▁DE ME ▁companies ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁building ▁the ▁outer ▁port ▁of ▁Ze ebru g ge . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁very ▁early ▁days , ▁DE ME ▁companies ▁have ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁far ▁abroad . ▁As ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁A ck erm ans ▁& ▁van ▁H aar en ▁almost ▁continu ously ▁executed ▁infrastr ucture ▁projects ▁in ▁several ▁countries ▁of ▁Latin ▁America . ▁For ▁ten ▁years , ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁building ▁and ▁expand ing ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Ros ario ▁( S anta ▁Fe ) ▁in ▁Argentina . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁total ▁volume ▁handled ▁at ▁Ros ario ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁ 9 . 5 ▁million   m 3 ▁of ▁d red ging ▁and ▁ 5 . 7 ▁million   m 3 ▁of ▁re clam ation . ▁Other ▁d red ging ▁works ▁in ▁Argentina ▁in ▁those ▁years ▁were ▁executed ▁at ▁La ▁Pl ata , ▁Bah ía ▁Blan ca , ▁Puerto ▁Bel gr ano , ▁San ▁Nicolas , ▁En sen ada , ▁Sor ento , ▁Que qu én , ▁the ▁Par an á ▁D elta , ▁the ▁Mat