![[animation]](../../anigifs/104/dokopen.gif)
Operating equipment - dock-gate
![[dock-gate]](images/beddet2.gif)
The dock-gate is designed to seal off the dock. In addition the dock-gate protects the retaining wall from being run into by vessels; the gate has been designed in such a way that vessels scraping the gate are warded off, while also providing maximum protection in the event of a head- on collision. The dock-gate may be compared with a safe-door (dimensions: 2 m thick, 12 m high and 20 m long), running backwards and forwards over a rail. Since sludge builds up on the rail, the dock- gate is opened once a month for the sludge to be bulldozered off.
The dock-gate is opened immediately before the retaining wall is propelled into the main stream. Once the retaining wall is back in to its dock the dock-gate seals off the parking dock again.