An agreement has been reached between the City of Antwerp and the City of Bruges in merging their ports. The ports will operate under the name ‘Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ once the unification process is completed.
The merged port will become the most important container port (157 million tonnes/year). Moreover, the port will account for more than 15% of Europe’s liquid natural gas transited. It will also be the largest port for cruise ships in the Benelux and with a total throughput of 278 million tonnes per year.
Annick De Ridder, port alderman and chair of the board of directors of the Antwerp Port Authority:
“We are proud of this historic agreement, which seals a long-awaited unification. By joining forces, we are on the way to becoming Europe’s global port, while at the same time reinforcing our position as the most important container port in terms of tonnage, a solid RoRo port and one of the largest break bulk ports in Europe. This will make us even more attractive to our existing customers, to new investors and to all other potential stakeholders, and we will undisputedly be the main driver of Flanders’ economy. Our ambition to bring the two ports together is about much more than simply tonnage and TEUs, however. It will enable us to focus even more firmly on the transition towards a low-carbon economy and to continue our efforts regarding the digitalisation of the supply chain. The ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp are to a large extent complementary and working together will make us more resilient to external challenges.”
As part of a joint plan, the two ports have defined three strategic priorities – sustainable growth, resilience and leadership in the energy and digital transition.
As the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are complementary, they will be able to combine their strengths together after the merger. Antwerp specialises in the handling and storage of containers, break bulk and chemical products, while Zeebrugge is a major port for RoRo traffic, container handling and the transhipment of liquid natural gas. By working closely together, it will enable the new port to consolidate sustainable growth.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges will seek to develop and make optimum use of the interconnectivity between the two ports. The transportation of goods by rail between the two sites will be bundled, estuary traffic (by inland vessels on the North Sea) will be optimised and pipeline connections will also be on the list of priorities.
Committed strategic investments, such as the new sea lock in Zeebrugge and the additional container capacity in Antwerp, will go ahead. Future investments will be evaluated from a unified operational perspective, so that both port platforms will benefit, and the port continues to meet its customers’ expectations.
According to the Port of Antwerp, combining the industrial cluster in Antwerp and Zeebrugge’s location on the coast will create a unique opportunity to address the future energy challenges in Flanders and the wider region. As such, Port of Antwerp-Bruges will take up a leading position as an import hub for green hydrogen and will play an active and pioneering role in the hydrogen economy. Moreover, the port will continue to reduce its carbon footprint will examine methods of applying CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage) with its industrial and maritime customers, as to contribute to the transition towards a low-carbon port.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges will also offer a number of significant advantages in terms of innovation and digitalisation, making it possible to make the supply chain not only more efficient, but also safer and more reliable.
Dirk De fauw, mayor of Bruges and chair of Zeebrugge Port Authority:
“We are looking forward to join forces with the port of Antwerp and, by doing so, to strengthen our position as the most important gateway to Europe. Zeebrugge is the world’s largest automotive hub, a leading RoRo port and an experienced, state-of-the-art natural gas hub. By combining our own strengths with the qualities offered by Antwerp, we will be able to do more and do it better. We will achieve this in the interests of and in consideration of our shared port operations, our city and our region. We will strengthen our joint economic and international position, while simultaneously creating added value for society in general.”
Credit: Port of Antwerp
