Belgium News

Expansion for Far East and Trans-Siberian Railway

FESCO Transportation Group, the largest intermodal transport operator in Russia, and Polish rail operator PCC Intermodal S.A. agreed on developing services of expedited cargo delivery from Japan, South Korea and China to European countries and vice versa through the Far East and Trans-Siberian Railway.The agreement of intent was signed during the Eastern Economic Forum.Using their experience and expertise, the companies are going to work on increasing the volumes of transit cargo shipped with Trans-Siberian Landbridge service launched this summer…

Euronav to Store Low-Sulfur Oil

The crude oil tanker company Euronav has purchased a total of 420,000 metric tons of compliant fuel oil and marine gasoil so far, the company revealed as it detailed its IMO 2020 sulfur cap plans. In aggregate the purchase value of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) has been at $447 per metric ton compared to a bunker price (HFO-3.5% Sulfur content) of $400 per metric ton over the same procurement period.According to the Belgium shipping company, the oil is currently aboard a ultra large crude carrier (ULCC) Oceania, a vessel built in 2003, and will soon be on its way to Singapore.

Konecranes Retrofits Crane in DP World Liège

Konecranes Port Services, the team of crane and lifting engineers, software developers and product technicians, will retrofit electrification to a Model 2 Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor crane in DP World’s Liège Container Terminal in Belgium, lowering the terminal’s local emissions and noise.The Port of Liège, strategically located along the Meuse river in eastern Belgium,  is the third-largest river port in Europe, directly linked to both Antwerp and Rotterdam.The DP World Liège Container Terminal (DPW LCT) is the only trimodal terminal in Wallonia…

Shoreham Port Welcomes Sea Cadets

Sea Cadets from the Netherlands and Belgium recently enjoyed a visit to Shoreham Port while on a celebratory trip to the South Coast of England. Travelling aboard the TS Zeefakkel, the party arrived at the Port having visited Southend-On-Sea and the Isle of Wight during their 2-week round trip. The group’s visit to the UK was organized in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Zeekadetkorps (Sea Cadets Corps) in the Dutch Town of Hellevoetsluis, located to the south of Rotterdam.

Shanghai Ports Tops in Connectivity

The Shanghai port has topped UNCTAD’s 2019 ranking of the world’s best-connected ports, released yesterday (7 August).The Chinese port garnered a connectivity score of 134 points, followed by the ports of Singapore (124.63 points), Pusan (114.45 points) in Korea and Ningbo (114.35 points), also in China. The index is set at 100 for the best-connected port in 2006, which was Hong Kong, China.Besides the Asian ports, the other ports on the top 10 list are those of Antwerp (94 points) in Belgium and Rotterdam (93 points) in the Netherlands.

CSP Zeebrugge Terminal Deploys Navis N4

The terminal operating systems (TOS) provider Navis announced  that CSP Zeebrugge Terminal, part of COSCO Shipping Ports, has successfully gone live with Navis N4.The unit of Cargotec Corporation and provider of operational technologies and services that unlock greater performance and efficiency for the world’s leading organizations across the shipping supply chain, the terminal connecting European market will use N4 to focus on real-time data sharing and efficiency for better service.The terminal…

Fourth Global Regulatory Summit Held at FMC

Senior government officials from the European Union (EU), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the United States met Wednesday at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to participate in the Fourth Global Regulatory Summit.Attendees represent the competition authorities responsible for regulating international liner shipping in the world’s largest liner trade lanes. The delegations were led by Director Henrik Morch from the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission and Deputy Director-General YI Jiyong of the Water Transport Bureau…

Exmar Repays its 2014 Bond

Exmar Netherlands,  a fully owned subsidiary of Belgium’s Exmar and a manager of specialized floating assets, has completed the bond repayment issued in 2014, extended in July 2017 and maturing in July 2019.According to a press note from the Nicolas Saverys-led shipowner,  the outstanding senior unsecured bond was issued in 2014.This repayment has been funded partially with the new, unsecured NOK 650 million ($75 million) bond issued by Exmar on May 16, 2019, with final maturity in May 2022…

Kalmar to Deliver Forklift to Antwerp

The provider of lifting solutions, Kalmar has been awarded a contract to supply Antwerp Euroterminal NV (AET) with six Kalmar forklifts of varying specifications, including one fully electric model.The order, which also includes a Kalmar Complete Care service contract covering all the machines, was booked in Cargotec's 2019 Q2 order intake with delivery scheduled to be completed during Q4 2019.AET, is the largest multipurpose terminal in Europe and home to vessels of the Grimaldi Group.

Maersk India Trade Report Q1 2019

India’s containerized exports with the world witnessed a stable growth of 6% in the first quarter of 2019 propelled by robust performances in refrigerated cargo, engineering and pharmaceuticals sectors, while imports declined slightly in the same quarter registering a market growth of -2.2% in Q1. The import demand was buoyed by pharmaceuticals, metal, appliances and kitchenware, paper, chemicals and fruit & nuts, mainly from Northern Europe, South Asia, China and Russia. Exports were driven largely by the East and West of India…

Hutchison Ports, CN Rail to Build Terminal in Canada

Canadian Québec Port Authority (QPA) has signed a long-term commercial agreement with Hong Kong's Hutchison Ports and Canadian National Railway (CN) to build and operate a new container terminal, known as project Laurentia.The agreement increases Hutchison Ports' global network to 52 ports spanning 27 countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, China, Pakistan, Egypt, Argentina, Mexico and Panama, said a press release.Hutchison…

DFDS Buys Two Freight Ferries for New Route

Danish roro ship operator DFDS secured a contract from Swedish paper producer Stora Enso to transport 700,000 tons of paper annually on a new route between Gothenburg, Sweden and Zeebrugge,BelgiumDFDS will acquire two freight ferries for the route, said the release. The new route will be operated by three freight ferries. Two freight ferries - Slingeborg and Schieborg - will be acquired from third party owners for DKK 270m.In addition, one freight ferry will be transferred from DFDS' existing route between Gothenburg and Ghent that currently deploys four freight ferries.

XLP Opens Office in Belgium

XLProjects has introduced the latest XLProjects (XLP) member office in Antwerp, Belgium.Invicta Project & Shipping has 2 offices located in Antwerp (Belgium) and in Genoa (Italy) from where it serves to and from all European ports.Furthermore their  team is able to offer assistance and support their clients in several languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Russian).Their goal is to find the best transportation solutions tailor made specifically for our customers. They provide a customized multi-modal transport solution matching your requirements.

Rotterdam Port Expands Inland Shipping

Netherlands-based Port of Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe, has signed a partnership with the North Brabant region, the region of Eindhoven, north of Belgium, to realise increased container transport via inland shipping.In 2018, over 8.6 million containers were transhipped in the Port of Rotterdam (14.5 million TEU). With over 1 million containers, North Brabant is one of Rotterdam’s most important hinterland regions, but with a relatively high share of road transport is…

2018: Record Year for Port of Antwerp

With a growth of 5.2% in 2018 compared to previous year, the Port of Antwerp has confirmed the earlier forecasts for a 6th consecutive year record."The confirmation of the port's attractiveness and the consolidation of its position as a global player and the largest integrated European chemical cluster are essential to the continuity of its role as the largest economic engine of Belgium. Below you will find the final annual figures for 2018," said a press release from the Europe’s second-largest seaport.The total transhipment in 2018 was 235.2 million tonnes…

UK's Shoreham Welcomes Home Registered Vessel

Shoreham Port UK, claimed to be UK's number 1 scallop port, welcome home registered fishing vessel ‘Flowing Stream’ following a significant refit that began in the spring of 2018.Originally built in the year 2000, the vessel was flagged in from Belgium where it was previously registered to be renovated and renewed to bring it up to new vessel standards. Flowing Stream will join a long line of fishing vessels registered at Shoreham Port that date back to the 13th Century.Flowing Stream is one of the many scalloping vessels that regularly land in the Port each year…

Shoreham Welcomes Home Registered Vessel

The fishing vessel ‘Flowing Stream’ has recently chosen a new home at Shoreham Port following a significant refit that began in the spring of 2018. Originally built in the year 2000, the vessel was flagged in from Belgium where it was previously registered to be renovated and renewed to bring it up to new vessel standards. Flowing Stream will join a long line of fishing vessels registered at Shoreham Port that date back to the 13th Century.Flowing Stream is one of the many scalloping vessels that regularly land in the Port each year…

Boluda Corporación Goes to N. Europe

Shipping services provider Boluda Corporación Marítima has signed a letter of intent to acquire all the shares, worth 300 million euros, of Kotug Smit Towage.The Netherlands-based towage services provider Kotug Smit Towage is operating in North Sea countries (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany).Boluda Corporación Marítima is now in talks to acquire 100% of the towage company Kotug Smit Towage created in 2016. The shares are owned equally by the two companies Kotug International BV and Royal Boskalis Westminster NV…

India Box Trade Grew 6% in Q4 2018: Maersk

India’s containerised trade with the world has grown steadily, recording an overall import-export trade growth of 6% according to the Q4 2018 trade report released by Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company.Increasing demand for refrigerated cargo from India coupled with improved trade relations with China with introduction of favourable trade policies, has driven exports to grow a healthy 3% in Q4.The demand for India-made goods such as vehicles, cereals and rice…

Zeebrugge Preps for Brexit with Digital Tools

The Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, has revealed it developed a new data sharing platform to allow a fluent flow of cargo to and from the UK despite extra customs administrations which will be implemented after the Brexit deadline.The development of the RX/SeaPort data sharing platform is an initiative of the Zeebrugge port authority and APZI, the Association of Port of Zeebrugge interests. It is a platform which offers a digital connection between all links in the logistical chain.“RX/SeaPort guarantees a chainwide solution for cargo shipped from and to the UK quickly and efficiently.

Gigantic Crane Sails into North Sea Port

Luxembourgish multinational ArcelorMittal invested 13.3 million euros in two new customised port cranes and the biggest of the two cranes, which has a maximum height of no less than 85 metres, sailed to North Sea Port.By bringing in the two cranes, the company is preparing for the arrival of the New Lock in Terneuzen. By 2022, the first vessel will sail through the larger lock, making Terneuzen, Ghent and the ArcelorMittal Ghent company port accessible to major Capesize seagoing vessels - vessels that have a loading capacity of no less than 120…

DP World Orders Kalmar Straddle Carriers

The cargo-handling solutions provider Kalmar is to supply DP World with a total of 63 Kalmar Hybrid Straddle Carriers for use at four of its European container terminals: 12 units will be delivered to GMP in Le Havre, France; 20 units to Eurofos in Marseille, France; 19 units to Antwerp Gateway in Belgium; and 12 units to DP World Southampton in the UK.The order was booked in Cargotec's 2019 Q1 order intake, and the majority of the machines is expected to be delivered by the end of 2019…

Euronav to Deploy ULCC for LSFO Storage

Euronav, one of the largest tanker companies in the world, will deploy one of its two ultra large crude carriers (ULCC) to store cleaner marine fuel ahead of a major regulatory change in 2020, the Belgium-headquartered group said on Friday.From January 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will ban ships from using fuels with a sulphur content above 0.5 percent, compared with 3.5 percent now, in one of the biggest changes in the oil market in decades.Only ships fitted…

2018: 'Grand Cru' Year for Antwerp Port

Europe’s second-largest seaport, the Port of Antwerp in Flanders, Belgium said that with a 6th year record, growth in all cargotypes and a recent wave of investments, 2018 will be a 'grand cru' year."The confirmation of the port's attractiveness and the consolidation of its position as a global player and the largest integrated European chemical cluster are essential to the continuity of its role as the largest economic engine of Belgium," claimed a press release from the port.With a growth of 5.2% compared to 2017, the earlier forecasts for a 6th consecutive year record are confirmed.

DP World buys back P&O Ferries for $421 mln

DP World has bought back British ferry and shipping freight operator P&O Ferries for 322 million pounds ($421 million), more than a decade after it sold it.DP World acquired the British shipping and logistics company in 2006 but soon sold off some assets, including P&O Ferries to its major shareholder, state holding company Dubai World.DP World announced on Wednesday it was buying the company, and a spokeswoman later told Reuters it had bought it back from Dubai World.Dubai World was at the heart of the emirate’s financial crisis at the turn of the decade and was forced to restructure around $

Gas4Sea, Equinor in LNG Bunkering Pact

Marine LNG Zeebrugge, a joint venture of the Gas4Sea partners - ENGIE, Mitsubishi Corporation and NYK - has signed an agreement with the Norwegian multinational energy group Equinor.Under the agreement, Marine LNG Zeebrugge will supply liquefied natural gas as a marine fuel to Equinor’s four crude shuttle tankers in the Dutch port of Rotterdam.The four planned dual fuel vessels are to come into service in early 2020; they will be operated by Equinor in Northern European seas.Marine LNG Zeebrugge will supply LNG using the LNG bunkering vessel ENGIE Zeebrugge which started operations in 2017.