This one of the two engine rooms inside the world's highest boat lift at Strépy-Thieux. Because of big height difference between lower an upper canals the usual canal lock system could not be used here. So this huge structure was built to lift boats 73.15 meters up or down between 2 canals using electrical motors (similar to regular elevators used in building).
Strépy-Thieux elevator is capable of lifting 1350 ton barges. The moving basins on each side weight 2200 tons each.
It was constructed between 1982 and 2002 at a cost of 675 million euros and replaced 4 other much smaller boat lifts built in 19th century.