In the port, specialised companies form the indispensable link between steel producers worldwide and Northern European industry. Discover the journey that steel takes from the port to everywhere in your daily life.
The Euroports terminal in the Waasland Port is today one of the main gateways for steel in Europe. Bert Smet, key account manager at Euroports, explains: "Imports account for 80 to 85 per cent of traffic. The steel mainly comes from countries such as India, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan."
Steel arrives in various forms: plates, beams, steel wire, or coils (large rolls of coiled steel). If the cargo does not fit into containers, it is transported by Handymax ships, large breakbulk vessels with a capacity of up to 60,000 tonnes.
For many countries in Asia, Antwerp is the logical gateway to Northern Europe.
Once moored, unloading operations begin. Powerful cranes lift the steel from the ships onto the quay. "However, the weather has the final say,” Bert explains. "When it rains, the ship’s hatches are closed."
Finished steel, including cold-rolled and galvanised products, must be kept dry to avoid rust. Hot-rolled steel is less sensitive, but salt water always remains a risk.
The Euroports terminal has 32 warehouses, each measuring 8,000 m2. Six to eight of these are in permanent use for steel. "Steel remains at our terminal for an average of 49 days," Bert explains. Sometimes it moves on after a week, sometimes only after several months. Almost all the steel that arrives has already been sold in advance. The main markets are in the Benelux, France and, above all, Germany.
Steel can be processed at the port before it reaches its final destination. Jens Van Hoof, business development manager at Zuidnatie, provides an excellent example of this. Steel coils run through a series of blades in their slitting centre, dividing each roll into anywhere from two to twenty strips. "These are then rewound and sent directly to manufacturers of, among other things, car parts, pipes, structures, or storage systems."
At our steel slitting centre, steel coils are cut according to customer requirements.
Need steel quickly? Just head to ‘the supermarket for steel’ as Pieter Adams, Commercial Director at Zimmer Staal, describes his company. Zimmer Staal provides warehouse space at the Euroports terminal, holding a stock of around 60,000 tonnes of steel plates in various sizes, thicknesses, and grades.
Customers don’t have to wait for new imports or production: what is needed today is often available immediately.
In addition, Zimmer Staal offers targeted added services. Steel plates can be flame-cut to size there, a process that cuts large plates into smaller sections by means of burning. Steel can also be blasted on site for a more refined finish, or coated with a protective primer.
The range of applications for all that steel is endless. Whether imported from overseas or produced in Europe, this steel reaches places we rarely consider. From buildings to machines, from cars to household appliances, tanks, and countless industrial installations. It often starts here, at the port.
In this episode of The Seaniors, retired manager Erik takes you to a steel terminal. See steel being prepared and finished according to customer demands.
