For 150 years, the towage service has played a crucial role at the port. From steam to innovation, the evolution is impressive. This anniversary year, we look back on a rich history of craftsmanship and progress.
For 150 years, the Port Authority’s tugs have been in continuous operation on the water. Who exactly are the crew members of a tugboat? And how do we go about finding new colleagues? Marga Vanlandschoot, expert in staffing data, and Karl Van Dyck, senior fleet trainer, guide us through the world of towage services.
The passion for tugs has run through the Van Laken family's veins for four generations. We spoke with Patrick and his son Mathias, who represent the next generation of a family deeply rooted in the port.
The story of the Antwerp towage service begins in 1863. Ships then no longer had to pay tolls on the Scheldt. The result: traffic on the river increased, and a towage service became necessary. On the Scheldt itself, a private company was operating; at the docks, a towage company through a concession from the City of Antwerp. On 2 June 1875, the Antwerp city council decided to purchase that company's three steam tugs and provide its own towage service.
From foremast to AI, our towage service continues to innovate
Today, 150 years later, the towage service is still alive and kicking. The service has evolved considerably in the meantime, though. For example, the first wooden tugs ran on steam, whereas we are now testing new technologies such as hydrogen, methanol and electrically powered steel tugs.
Onboard communications have also made some great strides. In 1875, you called for a tug by hoisting a Belgian flag on the foremast. Today, AI and innovative digital tools support planning. And whereas, in the early years, tugs towed an average of 4,000 ships annually, by 2024 it was nearly 21,000.
To carry out all those towage operations, the towage service owns 19 vessels. It employs a total of about 350 employees, spread across Fleet Operations, Technical Fleet and other departments. Together, these ensure that even the biggest sea giants can enter the port safely.
For all of 2025, we will be putting the towage service in the spotlight.
Get to know familiar and less familiar sides of the port. What activities are going on in your region, who are the people working there, and what does the port mean on the global scale? You can read about it in our online magazine (Dutch only).
