Extra Container Capacity Antwerp (ECA)

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is Belgium's most important economic engine. Container traffic plays a major role in this regard. Containers keep our society and economy going. They ensure our provisioning, allow our companies to flourish and distribute our Belgian products on international markets.

With the current infrastructure, we can no longer accommodate the expected growth in container traffic. Moreover, it is not only a question of growth, but also of maintaining existing economically important activities. Without additional capacity, there is a risk that a large part of container traffic will shift to foreign ports. 

Additional container capacity is needed in order to retain the trust of investors and secure local business. Sustainable growth is essential in order to secure Antwerp's position as a hub in the global market. In order to maintain this competitive position, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is investing in more and better container capacity. With ECA, Port of Antwerp-Bruges will ensure sustainable growth and the prosperity of current and future generations.

The ECA project is the result of years of cooperation and open dialogue with local authorities, residents, associations, nature organisations, farmers and businesses. This resulted in the “Ommelandverbond” (2022), which sets out agreements on port development, Doel, mobility, heritage and landscape, nature, agriculture and the surrounding residential areas. 

ECA is fully committed to sustainable transport. New infrastructure will make the Waasland Port more accessible and reduce nuisance for the villages adjacent to the port. There will be at least five berths for inland container shipping, improved railways, an additional waiting area for trains and a new road.

This infrastructure will be constructed before the new dock is put into service.

Both the construction and operation of the new terminals will be as emission-free as possible.

Thanks to shore power, moored ships will be able to connect to the electricity grid, allowing them to switch off their engines. In addition, the new terminals will also be virtually emission-free: container cranes, transport at the terminal, etc.

Rail transport to and from the terminals will also be emission-free.

At the end of October 2025, the new transport infrastructure (rail and road) was finally approved by the Flemish government. Construction of the new access road to the port (WOW) can start in 2027.

For the construction of the container handling infrastructure (CCL), the next step is the adoption of the draft project decision by the Flemish government in the spring of 2026, after which a public inquiry will be organized.

Would you like to know more about ECA? All information and the latest news about the project, as well as the process and public consultation procedures, can be found on the ECA complex project webpage (in Dutch).