News

With a 6th year record, growth in all cargotypes and a recent wave of investments, 2018 will be a 'grand cru' year for the Port of Antwerp.

The Nautical & Operational Cluster (NOC) at quays 602-612 has now officially entered service. All technical and nautical employees of Port of Antwerp have moved to their new workplace, and the services have finally been centralised. The Shipping Police will also move into this site in November. The ceremonial opening was held on 25 October.

The German chemical concern BASF announced at the beginning of October that it plans to invest more than half a million euros in production of ethylene oxide in the port. This follows on from a long series of investments by the chemical industry.

The SAFIR consortium held an Open Door day in the port of Antwerp on 26 September at which it presented a large number of industrial and commercial drone applications, with live demonstrations. Test flights demonstrated the safety and economic viability of integrated drone traffic in a challenging environment.

The British web trader Made.com teams up with Katoen Natie to send furniture from Antwerp to ten different countries, boosting Belgian e-commerce.

The ecological footprint of Port of Antwerp remains stable while freight volume and industrial output continue to rise. This is one of the main conclusions of the fifth Sustainability Report, an initiative of Port of Antwerp, the Left Bank Development Corporation and VOKA-Alfaport (chamber of commerce).

The uncertainty over Brexit continues but one thing is clear: as soon as the UK leaves the European Union in one way or another, there will be big changes in British imports and exports. Port of Antwerp sees new opportunities here, such as a shift from ferry to container transport.

Port of Antwerp has ordered construction of a tug powered by hydrogen, the first in the world. This unique "Hydrotug" is driven by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with diesel.