Princess Astrid visits DP World

 

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, where DP World has a major stake in the Deurganck dock’s Antwerp Gateway terminal, is particularly satisfying for Antwerp Port Authority CEO Eddy Bruyninckx: “In the past few years Antwerp Gateway has developed into a major player in our port. The Deurganck dock is able to handle the largest container carriers in the world without problem. Antwerp Gateway was the first in our port to invest in automatic stacking cranes, which undoubtedly boosted our reputation as a fast, efficient port.”

Mr Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World, said: “We look forward to continue working together so that Antwerp Gateway will be able to grow and serve our current and prospective customers into the future.”

Since the Antwerp port community adopted the Total Plan for a More Competitive Port in 2009, “supply chain thinking” has played an increasingly central role in the policy of Antwerp port companies. Ports are a vital link in the worldwide logistics chain which has to meet criteria of speed, reliability and efficiency. For this reason the Flemish government and the port of Antwerp have invested not only in creating sufficient advanced facilities in the port itself but also in setting up inland hubs, since the goods that are unloaded in the port must also be able to reach the hinterland quickly enough. “Our presence in the hinterland will enable the port to make maximum use of its main natural advantage, namely its inland location,” explains Eddy Bruyninckx.

The partnership between the Port Authority and DP World to set up an open access container terminal alongside the Albert canal in Grobbendonk (DP World Antwerp East) is a good illustration of the shared philosophy, namely that a port must dare to expand its geographical boundaries in order to maximise its advantages. DP World became even more active on the Albert canal in the middle of last year with its acquisition of the Trilogiport Terminal in Liège.