Eddy Bruyninckx News

Massive investments in the port of Antwerp are coming in the next few years. The SEA-Invest group is planning construction of a new tanker terminal in the Delwaide dock representing an investment of 250 million euros. In the same dock the group will also operate an independent container terminal that it has acquired from Independent Maritime Terminal (IMT). This facility is currently located in the Hansa dock but will be moved to the Delwaide dock where there is space for further development with an additional investment of 50 million euros. Other new activities not directly related to the waterfront will help to reutilise the space released in the Delwaide dock. In the meantime a location has been found for the Houston-based international terminal operator Zenith Energy.

To develop the world’s first set of harmonised LNG bunkering standards, a network comprising Antwerp, Rotterdam, Singapore and Zeebrugge, subsequently expanded to include Jacksonville and Norway, was formed. Taking reference from documents by organisations such as the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF), this set of harmonised standards  will ensure that key areas of the LNG bunkering process are aligned across ports carrying out LNG bunkering operations. The standards can also provide a guide to ports seeking to be LNG bunker-ready.

The port of Antwerp and the port of San Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire are to collaborate over the next few years to manage further expansion of this West African entrepot. San Pedro, the leading cacao port in the world, aims to develop at regional level so as to become a logistics hotspot for handling commodities such as fertilisers, cashew nuts and cacao, among other things. Part of the capital cost will be financed by Port of Antwerp International (PAI), the consultancy and investment subsidiary of Antwerp Port Authority. While PAI has already been active in West Africa for many years now, this will be the first time it has made a financial investment in the region. Already in 2011 the ports of San Pedro and Antwerp signed an agreement for collaboration between them.

After 25 years as CEO of Antwerp Port Authority, Eddy Bruyninckx has been raised to the nobility by H.M. the king of Belgium with the rank of baron. In Belgium the title of baron or baroness is reserved for those who have made a notable contribution in a particular sector. In the case of port boss Eddy Bruyninckx his unremitting efforts on behalf of the port of Antwerp over many years, helping to defend and develop its solid N° 2 position in Europe and top 15 in the world, have led to him being awarded the title of baron along with seven other Belgians. Such honours are traditionally awarded on 21 July, Belgium’s national day. Port Authority…

Last week Antwerp Port Authority signed a collaboration agreement with Shahid Rajaee Port Authority which controls the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran. Bandar Abbas accounts for 90% of the in- and outgoing containers of Iran and for nearly half of the 200 million tonnes of freight handled by the 11 Iranian ports put together. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the headquarters of the Ports & Maritime Organisation in Teheran which is responsible for managing these 11 ports. The agreement runs for a period of five years, after which it can be renewed. Eddy Bruyninckx, who signed the agreement on behalf of Antwerp Port Authority…

Jacques Vandermeiren (52) has been appointed CEO of Antwerp Port Authority as of 1 January 2017. He succeeds Eddy Bruyninckx who after 25 years at the head of the Port Authority is retiring on 31 December 2016. Until January 2015 Vandermeiren held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Elia, the listed company that operates the national electricity grid in Belgium. He can draw on extensive experience in the energy sector, which will stand him in good stead with the industrial operators in the port. He also has the necessary experience with complex stakeholder management and in dealing with a publicly-owned shareholder. “These two aspects…

“One Belt, One Road” is a Chinese development strategy launched at the end of 2013 that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia. The strategy has two main components, namely the land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the ocean-going “Maritime Silk Road.” Antwerp has a potentially very important role to play in both these routes as a major trading hub, and so the Port Authority is setting up a special taskforce for this purpose. The importance of this project for Europe can hardly be underestimated, and so during the recent state visit to China by king Philippe of Belgium the country applied to join the new Asian Infrastructure Development Bank, the investment bank behind the strategy.

The port of Antwerp, the second-largest in Europe, is to collaborate with Shanghai Maritime University (SMU), a world-renowned centre of maritime know-how. As of next academic year four master’s students at SMU will receive a Port of Antwerp Maritime Award. With this collaboration Antwerp has opted resolutely in favour of supporting young talent. “Young potentials are the future: as a port we naturally invest in good commercial relations but we also consider supporting the future generations to be equally important,” declared Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority, who signed the collaboration agreement in Shanghai. Trade between Antwerp and China has developed over the centuries, so that Antwerp now has very close relations with various Chinese port cities.

Antwerp Gateway, managed by DP World (one of the largest container terminal operators in the world) is a significant contributor to the success of the Port of Antwerp. Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of the Antwerp Port Authority, met with Mr. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Mr. Mohammed Sharaf, respectively chairman and CEO of DP World, on Thursday during the Belgian mission to Dubai headed by HRH Princess Astrid. After the meeting both CEO’s took part in a lunch, in presence of HRH Princess Astrid. Already in 2014 the worldwide growth figures for DP World were extremely positive, with the total volume up 8.9% to 60 million TEU. The fact that a significant part of this growth was generated in the port of Antwerp…

Port of Antwerp in Belgium, the second largest port in Europe, is rolling out a training centre in Mumbai to offer training for port professionals in India. Temporary facilities are being used at the moment, until the new centre is ready, the company said in its press release. Antwerp has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jawaharal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), the largest container port in India, to establish the JNPT APEC Port Training Centre. Marc Van Peel, Antwerp port alderman, and Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority, each presented an introductory lecture about the port of Antwerp, as a foretaste of the teaching syllabus. The series of lectures is being organized by APEC, the international port training and education centre.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Antwerp Port Authority, Port of Rotterdam and Port of Zeebrugge participated in a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering focus group discussion on 14 and 17 October, held in conjunction with the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON) 2014. Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, said, “As an alternative fuel, the shipping industry is looking to LNG as a cleaner marine fuel to meet international regulations. Given the international nature of shipping, we are excited to work with the Antwerp Port Authority, Port of Rotterdam and Port of Zeebrugge, to harmonise the global LNG bunkering standards.

Jan Van der Borght, the representative of the port of Antwerp in Shanghai, has been presented with the Golden Magnolia Award. Two years ago he won the Silver Magnolia Award, so that now he is only the second Belgian and the first representative of a foreign port to receive both the Silver and Golden awards. The Magnolia Awards are an initiative of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs and are presented to foreigners living in Shanghai who have made a particular contribution to the economic development and international standing of the city. In past years Van Der Borght has among other things helped to develop relations between the Shanghai Maritime University and the University of Antwerp, and between the China Maritime Museum and the MAS Museum in Antwerp.

Antwerp is hosting the European edition of the largest breakbulk exhibition in the world for the ninth year in a row. The world’s leading breakbulk players will be meeting in Antwerp Expo from 12 to 14 May, with the main sponsor being the Port of Antwerp. The exhibition gives both global and local breakbulk operators the opportunity to network and catch up with current trends, while also providing a platform to meet the needs of logistics professionals in traditional breakbulk and project cargo. Antwerp for its part is the largest breakbulk port in Europe. Not only is it the European leader for handling project cargo, steel and fruit, it is also the most important port in the world for storing coffee.

Freight volume was up by 3.5% to 190.6 million tonnes which represents an increase of 3.5% compared with 2012 when the volume came to 184.1 million tonnes, making 2013 a new record year for Belgium's principal port. The previous record dates from 2008, the last year before the global financial crisis. The main driving force behind the growth in volume was liquid bulk, with the container volume being slightly down as a result of the continuing recession. “Liquid bulk has given our port a particularly strong boost,” declared Port Authority CEO Eddy Bruyninckx.

To harmonise the procedures related to liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering in order to facilitate the acceptance of LNG bunker for shipping. To exchange information on matters related to LNG as a shipping fuel, such as LNG infrastructure, communication to stakeholders, accreditation of bunkering operators. To exchange information pertaining to bunkering procedures and regulatory framework. To identify common areas of interests to set up joint research and development programmes.

The Port of Antwerp Port Authority has appointed ship owning company EXMAR as its strategic partner in a plan to provide LNG bunkering in the port. Through their strategic alliance, the Port Authority and EXMAR want to facilitate the use of LNG as ship fuel, and to that end both partners plan to start with the actual construction of a LNG bunkership early 2014. Mr. Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of the port of Antwerp, said: “The Port Authority wishes to not only encourage but also to facilitate the use of LNG as ship fuel because of the associated environmental- and sustainable benefits. The Port Authority therefore wants to ensure that ships calling the port of Antwerp are able to bunker LNG as ship fuel as from 2015.

At the annual meeting of the International Association of Ports & Harbours in Los Angeles, Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority, was presented with the bronze Environment Award. With its presentation “Creating Space for Port Development by Proactive Nature Management” Antwerp was able to convince the jury of the important place given to proactive nature protection measures in the long-term strategy for port development. A considerable part of the Antwerp port area is subject to the EU Habitats directive and Birds directive.

The board of directors of Antwerp Port Authority has approved the long-term financial plan (2011-2025), representing an amount of $2.2b. With this ambitious investment plan the Port Authority is banking on the future. This plan is only possible thanks to the sustainable financial policy that the Port Authority has followed in recent years. "It is these financial results, without trying to maximize profits, that even after a period of crisis give us a sufficient financial basis to implement this investment program that is so important to our customers, and to go ahead with the priority activities and investments," said Port Authority CEO Eddy Bruyninckx.

On September 7, Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta and Antwerp Port Authority Chief Operations Officer Christiaan De Block signed an important Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly help foster commercial activity between the two authorities. The first of its kind between the ACP and a European port, the MOU will increase cooperation, such as joint marketing and coordination on modernization and expansion projects, and help boost trade between the Port of Antwerp and the West Coast of South America via the Panama Canal. Additionally, the Port of Antwerp is equipped with a post-Panamax locks system…