Extra Container capacity Antwerp

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is Belgium's most important economic engine. Container traffic plays a key role in this regard. Containers keep our society and economy going. They provide our supplies, allow our companies and their business to flourish and distribute our Belgian products on international markets. After years of rising container volumes, we have seen a slight decrease since 2022. Because the capacity at the terminals is reaching its limit, container shipping companies are less inclined to call at Antwerp. This (partly) explains the declining volumes. The need for extra container capacity is therefore becoming increasingly urgent.

Additional container capacity is needed in order to retain the trust of investors and secure local business. Sustainable growth is essential  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.

With new hyper-efficient terminals, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is building the port infrastructure of the future. Through research and participation, the aim is to develop a smarter project that strikes a balance between the economic needs and the concerns of the environment. Consideration for our environment and climate is the touchstone for everything we do. Port of Antwerp-Bruges fully supports the European and Flemish climate ambitions, and aims to be climate neutral by 2050.

Various alternatives were considered in the search for the most suitable location for extra container capacity in Antwerp. The Flemish Government approved the location of the extra capacity in a preferential decision. This decision is the result of consultation with all stakeholders involved.

The essential growth of the port requires solutions to limit nuisance for the surrounding area. Port activities have an impact on the wider environment - beneficial, but sometimes also disruptive - on both sides of the Scheldt and in the rest of Flanders.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a pioneer when it comes to making container traffic greener. By investing in the electrification of terminals, emission restrictions and the modal shift, we are accelerating the sustainability of shipping and logistics.

Ships at berth use auxiliary engines to generate power. This consumption makes a significant contribution to the total emissions of nitrogen oxides and greenhouse gases in the port. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is aiming to reduce emissions from ships in the port area to zero by 2050. We will achieve this by providing innovative solutions, such as shore power, as standard at the ECA terminals and rolling out this technology at existing terminals.

Thanks to shore power, moored ships can connect to the electricity grid and switch off their engines. In addition, the new terminals will also be virtually emission-free. As a pioneer, Port of Antwerp-Bruges helps other ports achieve more efficient and greener container traffic. 

As a logistical crossroads in Europe, Antwerp's road network has to handle a lot of traffic. ECA is fully committed to the modal split: more container transport via rail, inland navigation and night transport.

Transporting containers in an alternative way or at different times relieves Antwerp's road network and avoids traffic congestion. Finally, we are aiming to reduce emissions from trucks by investing in electrification and hydrogen projects for road transport. A pilot project for night transport and electric transport was launched in 2021.

Would you like to know more about the complex ECA project? Visit the website of the Department of Mobility and Public Works.

For more information about the process, participation procedures and the consultation of notes, records and reports, visit CPECA.