Zuidnatie News

The port of Antwerp is set to achieve a freight volume of more than 200 million tonnes for the first time ever in 2015. When it comes to containers Antwerp is performing extremely well this year: with expected growth of almost 8% it will easily pass the milestone of 9 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units, i.e. standard containers) for the first time in its history. About half of the container volume is currently handled in the port area on the Right bank of the Scheldt, but once the Swiss shipping company MSC transfers its operations to the Deurganck dock then the Left bank will inevitably become the main focus of container handling 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.