The City of Antwerp is bringing together services offered by shipping companies that allow families to hold farewell ceremonies and scatter or lower a loved one’s ashes into the Scheldt. The new initiative, ‘Uit-Vaart‘, complements the existing Memento Scaldis memorial site on the riverbank.
Launched ahead of All Saints’ Day on 1 November, the initiative aims to make it easier for families to find a personalised way to say goodbye on the river, which holds a special place in the lives of many Antwerp residents.
Options range from intimate ceremonies on smaller boats to larger gatherings aboard historic sailing vessels or Flandria passenger boats. Depending on the provider, the farewell ceremony and funeral reception can also take place on board.
“We are increasingly looking for original, personalised ways to say goodbye, while people in Antwerp also have a strong attachment to the Scheldt. With ‘Uit-Vaart’, we bring those two things together,” said Alderman for Cemeteries Ken Casier (N-VA). “The unique aspect is that not only can the urn be lowered into the water, but the ceremony itself and the funeral reception can also take place on the boat.”
The city has compiled information about the different providers and their services on its website. Other companies offering ash-scattering services on the Scheldt can contact the city to be included in the overview.
Memento Scaldis offers riverside remembrance
The initiative complements Memento Scaldis, Antwerp’s municipal farewell and memorial site on the Scheldt Quays, at Gerlachekaai near Lakenstraat. Relatives can gather there to remember loved ones who chose the river as their final resting place.
