8 Important Ports Of Belgium
Belgium lies in Northwestern Europe in a highly industrialised region that makes it one of the biggest trading nations coupled with advanced transport infrastructure integrated with Europe. A major contributor to economic growth is the shipping sector, given the well-developed network of ports and waterways that link Belgium with other parts of the world.
Belgium has many ports, such as the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the second biggest European port.
In this article, we look at the major ports in Belgium.
1. Port of Antwerp
Antwerp, located on the Scheldt River, is Europe’s second-largest port after Rotterdam. The Port of Antwerp (BEANR) is Belgium’s primary gateway to Europe, situated 80 kilometres southeast of the North Sea.
Antwerp’s port employs over 60,000 people through its various locations, making it one of Belgium’s most prominent economic pillars.
Antwerp, which the Antwerp Port Authority operates, can handle even the largest mega-ships. It can manage and store a wide range of goods, including loading and unloading, transportation, repackaging, and distribution, and has excellent hinterland connectivity.
This multipurpose port handed 235 million tonnes of international maritime cargo in 2018.
Every year, Antwerp’s port sees many large and small investment projects aimed at sustaining, modernizing, and improving existing infrastructure.
In a busy and complex port area, the Port of Antwerp has been the first seaport to implement air traffic management. They are the first non-aviation authority to achieve complete geo zone management status.
2. Port of Ghent
The Port of Ghent, located in Ghent, East Flanders, in the Flemish Region, is Belgium’s third busiest seaport. Ghent’s first port was on the Scheldt Canal, which shifted to the Leie River.
With 17.7 million tonnes of dry bulk, Ghent is the most active Flemish port. It primarily affects iron ore, coal, cereals, building materials, and crude minerals deliveries.
The Ghent port is accessible to Panamax-size ships, and a new lock at Terneuzen was announced in February 2015, which will preserve near-closeness with the Panama Canal expansion project’s locks.
3. Port of Zeebrugge
The city of Bruges includes the port of Zeebrugge. The city’s rich past intertwines with its link to the sea. The port, located in the municipality of Bruges in West Flanders in Belgium’s Flemish Region, handles 50+ million tonnes of cargo annually.
Zeebrugge’s port is owned by the MBZ (Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeehaven- ‘Business of the Bruges Seaport’), an independent public-law company with the city of Bruges as the majority shareholder.
4. Port of Ostend
The Port of Ostend exists in the Belgian province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region. The Port of Oostende is a flexible short seaport located in Europe’s busiest maritime area, serving all coastal maritime traffic forms.
It is a cornerstone of the rapidly growing offshore industry. As a result, the port serves as a base for North Sea offshore wind farms’ development and maintenance.
The Port of Ostend, equipped with cutting-edge technology, is critical for developing, transporting, and maintaining offshore windmills.
The port also specializes in various products, including construction materials, gravel and sand, silos and machines, and gas, to name a few.
5. Port of Brussels
Brussels is Belgium’s second-largest inland port, with a strategic position in the heart of Europe. It can accommodate ships weighing up to 4,500 tonnes and convoys weighing up to 9,000 tonnes.
The Port of Brussels aims to promote water transportation (the most environmentally sustainable transportation mode), job creation, global warming mitigation, and better urban distribution.
More than 24 million tonnes of goods are exchanged annually in the port, the majority by rail and road, and over 6.6 million tonnes by waterway transit (2016).
6. Port of Liege
Liege is the third largest inland port in Europe, succeeding Duisburg and Paris. It is located in the Province of Liege in Wallonia at the Meuse River.
It is one of the largest inland ports in Europe after Duisburg and Paris with direct links to Antwerp and Rotterdam through its canals. It spans 26 km, comprises 32 port regions and covers 3.7 square kilometres.
The Liège Port Authority had a good year in 2015, producing highly positive results and reinforcing the importance of its strategic options and successful reconversion.
7. Port of Genk
As an inland port and container terminal, Haven Genk provides a full range of facilities required of a port operator, including a tri-modal platform (water, rail, and road) capable of handling and transporting containers, traditional freight, and bulk.
Haven Genk also has its rail terminal linked to the Belgian Railways network. Haven Genk is where container shuttle trains, swap bodies, trucks, and ad hoc expeditions of standard railcars are handled.
Haven Genk is responsible for not only loading and unloading trains and railcars but also train formation.
8. Port of Namur
The Port is not what you would expect when you hear its name; it is situated on the Rivers Meuse and Sambre in the south of Belgium, far from the usual seaside expanse. It is comparatively a tiny port in Belgium.
Ports are essential for sustainable economic activities in the hinterland because they serve as a vital link between sea and land transportation.
Ports serve not only an economic but also a social role as work providers. However, since cargo is loaded and unloaded manually, it is difficult to determine the impact of shifts in the number of goods handled on local jobs or demand for port services.
Port facilities and operations may have visual and noise effects on the areas where they are located and pollute the environment.
As a result, port expansion and regulation must take other coastal roles into account to prevent conflict, conserve tourism, and protect biodiversity and natural values.
You might also like to read:
- 10 Major Ports in France
- 10 Major Ports In Germany
- 10 Major Ports In Brazil
- 10 Major Ports In India
- 10 Major Ports In China
- What Are Smart Port Technologies?
About Author
Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.
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The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
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