Inland navigation services

The APICS Barge application makes your life as a bargemaster or fleet manager easier. Reporting when your ship sails in and out of the Antwerp port area, finding available moorings, and booking locks are done digitally.

Easy and efficient scheduling

With APICS Barge, you register prior to sailing and plan your course into the port of Antwerp. This preparation step avoids the need for numerous calls over the VHF channel.

• Once you know your ship is destined for the port of Antwerp, you register it in APICS Barge. This means you no longer need to report when sailing into the port.
• The app shows a list of available locks. You can book a slot at your desired lock based on your estimated arrival time. The procedure over the VHF channel is still followed when sailing into the locks.
• Easily confirm your arrival at and departure from a mooring.
• Do you know the details of your next sailing in advance? You can now also register these details completely digitally.
• The ship owner can easily authorise another user to make bookings for the ship.

APICS Barge is compatible with other systems such as BICS and UAB online. All you need to do is add the point at which you will sail in and out of the Port of Antwerp. You only need to enter details once for sailing into the port, a lock passage, and arriving at the mooring.
  
It is still possible in exceptional cases to book a lock by telephone two hours in advance or on an ad-hoc basis.

Transparant information flow

APICS Barge collates information that was previously not available via the VHF channel. You are provided with a digital overview of the port status by means of an interactive map.

• The map shows an overview of the moorings for inland navigation crafts and the level of occupancy of the seagoing vessels.
• Useful facilities such as onshore power supply points and waste disposal sites are clearly shown.
• Up-to-date information about the situation in the port of Antwerp, such as the status of locks and bridges, tides, and the current wind direction.
• Registered ships can be tracked live.

We ensure that inland navigation traffic goes efficiently and safely. For easy communication, please find below an overview of the VHF radio channels and telephone numbers.

There are three permanent waste parks in the Antwerp port area. In addition, on the Right Bank, the bilge barge can also be used.

There are several waste collection centres in the port area were barge operators are able to discard their domestic and dangerous waste.

On the right bank of the Scheldt:

• K75 – Noordkasteelpark (oily, greasy and miscellaneous ship's waste)
• K601 – Lillopark (oily, greasy and miscellaneous ship's waste)
• Royers lock (domestic ship's waste, temporarily out of order)

On the left bank of the Scheldt

• K1552 – Kallopark* (oily, greasy and miscellaneous ship's waste)

*The Shipping management department laid down temporary restrictions for the accessibility of the waste collection centre in Kallo: barges up to 140 m with a maximum draught of 4.25 m.

Only waste materials and quantities originating from normal operational activities of an inland vessel can be accepted upon presentation of the ECO card

• solid waste containing oil and grease (rags, absorbents, oily cleaning waste, oil-stained materials, etc.)
• waste oil in small packaging
• oil and air filters
• propeller shaft and lubricant greases

Non-hazardous ship waste

• domestic general waste
• paper and cardboard
• coarse ship's waste (nooses, fenders etc.)
• wood
• glass (no float glass)

• cargo-related waste
• bilge water
• restaurant waste and domestic refuse of passengers of restaurant and passenger vessels
• all other waste products not in the list of permitted waste products

• The waste collection centres are for barge operators only.
• The offerer of hazardous waste makes sure the packaging of the waste products complies with the applicable government regulations.
• The delivery of bilge water and oil is free with delivery of a volume of 1,000 to 6,000 litres per collection. If the barge operator wants to release more bilge water and/or oil, the processing of the additional volume will be charged. If less than 1,000 litres is delivered the collection is also charged.
• The oil-delivery booklet or the ECO card serve as identification for the right to free delivery. Waste from a ship which is clearly part of the barge fleet but which does not have an oil delivery booklet or an ECO card may only be received in accordance with national regulations. Such delivery must be followed by a declaration of the collection facility to the national institute.
• The barge operator meticulously follows the instructions of the agent of the collection facility.
• The barge operator respects the guidelines shown at the collection facilities via guidelines/sorting panels.
• Waste products are not mixed with other waste products.

Bilge water (oil-water mixture in the engine room) - and ship's waste and domestic waste - of barges is collected in the Port of Antwerp by barge. The port dues include a contribution towards the collection. Calling the bilge barge is possible starting from 1,000 litres bilge water.

• From Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00
• Request before 12.00u = collection on the same day
• Request after 12.00 = collection on the next working day before 12:00

Miscellaneous waste (only in small quantities)

• residue of hardened/pastey paint/glues/resins and solid paint containing cleaning waste
• empty packaging of hazardous chemicals
• solvents in small packaging (thinners, turpentine, linseed oil, white spirit, etc.)
• domestic general waste

• cargo-related waste
• domestic waste water
• restaurant waste and domestic refuse from restaurant and passenger vessels
• all other waste products not in the list of permitted waste products

• The bilge barge is for barge operators only.
• The offerer of hazardous waste makes sure the packaging of the waste products complies with the applicable government regulations.
• The delivery of bilge water and oil is free with delivery of a volume of 1,000 to 6,000 litres per collection. If the barge operator wants to release more bilge water and/or oil, the processing of the additional volume will be charged. If less than 1,000 litres is delivered the collection is also charged.
• The oil-delivery booklet or the ECO card serve as identification for the right to free delivery. Waste from a ship which is clearly part of the barge fleet but which does not have an oil delivery booklet or an ECO card may only be received in accordance with national regulations. Such delivery must be followed by a declaration of the collection facility to the national institute.
• The barge operator meticulously follows the instructions of the agent of the collection facility.
• The barge operator respects the guidelines shown at the collection facilities via guidelines/sorting panels.
• Waste products are not mixed with other waste products

Consult the waste management plan 2021-2025 (in Dutch) for inland navigation.

Waiting dock for barges, Noordkasteel

• 7 distribution boxes (max. 63A) for inland navigation at K75
• 2 distribution boxes (max. 125A) for tankers at K85-87

Layby berths Channel Bassin B2

• 14 distribution boxes with 3 connection points (2 max. 63A + 1 max. 32A)

Kattendijkdok-Westkaai

• 3 distribution boxes (max. 400A) for river cruises at K15 and K16

Register to use onshore power. Once registered, you can make use of this service for €0.27/kWh.

The onshore power locations at the Kattendijk Dock-Oostkaai, Asia Dock and Willem Dock are managed by the City of Antwerp:

City port service
Droogdokkenweg 4 - Haven 18
B-2030 Antwerp
T +32 3 338 93 14

• South of the Boudewijn Lock: T +32 477 214 403
• North of the Boudewijn Lock: T +32 477 214 404
• Left Bank: T +32 477 214 405

At several places in the Antwerp port area, you can bring your car ashore as a bargemaster.

• South side of the Kallo Lock
• North side of the Kallo Lock
• K1552 – Kallopark Service Quay
• K1722 - Kieldrecht Lock

The Zeebrugge port area has no dedicated vehicle unloading points and no separate layby berths. Layby berths must be requested by a shipping agent or cargo handler.

Additional information can be obtained through our Port Information Guide and our Port Section Guide, as well as through the use of iENC cards.

Additional up-to-date information can be found in the nautical notices.

The website of the Department of Mobility and Public Works contains the most up-to-date information regarding onshore power, waste collection and drinking water for barges in Flanders. You can consult the availability of the onshore power connection points in real time here.

• damage reporting
• Port Dues departement