Ammrita Sharma (6B),

Danendra Bhatnagar (13B),

Rachna Khurana (53B),
Siddharth Sood (47B), Sunil
Tripathi (49B)

Visit to Port of Antwerp, Feb-2019

PORT OF ANTWERP-OVERVIEW
AND ITS COMPARISON TO PORT
OF HAMBURG
 Table of Contents
Port of Antwerp ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 2
History ......................................................................................................................... 2
Layout ......................................................................................................................... 3
The Right Bank ................................................................................................................................ 3
The Left Bank .................................................................................................................................. 4
The Deurganck Dock ....................................................................................................................... 4
Freight Categories ...................................................................................................... 5
Container cargo ............................................................................................................................... 5
Liquid bulk ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Dry bulk ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Break Bulk ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Ro-ro................................................................................................................................................ 8
Nautical services ........................................................................................................ 8
Accident Investigations ................................................................................................................... 8
Operational Procedures .................................................................................................................. 9
Port and Channel Design Studies .................................................................................................. 10
Operation Statistics .................................................................................................. 11
Inland navigation ...................................................................................................... 11
Inland navigation and the environment ....................................................................................... 12
Multimodal features ..................................................................................................................... 12
Multifunctional platform .............................................................................................................. 14
European Clusters .................................................................................................... 15
Clusters.......................................................................................................................................... 15
Why do Clusters matter? .............................................................................................................. 15
Port of Antwerp: Europe’s Largest Chemical Cluster .................................................................... 15
Hinterland policy ...................................................................................................... 17
Value Added Services .............................................................................................. 18
Training Facilities ..................................................................................................... 20
Digital, innovation & information............................................................................. 20
Golden Driving Principles .............................................................................................................. 21
Advantages .................................................................................................................................... 21
Port of Hamburg, Germany................................................................................................................... 22
Location .................................................................................................................... 22
Terminal and logistical Facilities ............................................................................. 23
The centrepiece of a cluster structure .................................................................... 24
Digital networking pioneer in Supply Chain ........................................................... 24
Training Facilities ..................................................................................................... 25
A Quick comparison with Port of Antwerp ............................................................. 25

Page 1 of 26
Port of Antwerp

Introduction
The Port of Antwerp in Flanders, Belgium, is a port in the heart of Europe accessible to
capesize ships. It is Europe’s second-largest seaport, after Rotterdam, in terms of freight
volumes. Located on the right bank of the river Scheldt, about 88km south-east of the North
Sea, the port is a major gateway to Europe. It is owned and operated by the Antwerp Port
Authority. The port connects other major European ports as it is strategically situated in the
centre of the north-west Europe.
In the following sections, we would be discussing the salient, non-salient features of the
Port of Antwerp. We will showcase the competitive advantages, as well as challenges PoA is
facing in today’s world. Last but not the least, we would also be comparing the Port of
Antwerp with the Port of Hamburg.

History

In the 12th century Antwerp was mentioned for the first time as a port for embarking
passengers to England and Zeeland, and as a goods port for German Rhine and Moselle wine
with the destination England.
Antwerp became the centre of the world economy in the sixteenth century and trade grew
exponentially. For reducing the waiting time for the larger ocean-going vessels could not use
the floods, three streams (Brouwersvliet, Timmervliet and Middelvliet) were dug in for a
northern urban area of city of Antwerp, to close off the Scheldt with locks. As a result, the
water level in the streams remained stable and could be used by larger seagoing vessels. In
particular, the Middelvliet. was the pride of Antwerp and could enable ships up to 200 tons
to load and unload here.
However, it was Napoleon Bonaparte who recognized Antwerp's potential and ordered the
construction of Antwerp's first lock and dock in 1811. This dock was called the Bonaparte
Dock, it was soon joined by a second dock - called the Willem Dock after the Dutch King - in
1813.
After Belgium gained its independence in the year 1830, this dock was liberated from the
Dutch Toll in the year 1863. Antwerp then experienced a second golden age and by 1908
eight docks had been constructed. The opening of the Royers Lock, commenced in 1905,
meant that ships drawing up to 31 feet (9.4 m) of water were able to enter the existing
docks and access the new Lefèbvre and America docks
During the first world war in 1914, Britain took the charge of the defence of the city of
Antwerp and its port. During the second world war, PoA were relatively undamaged and no
major reconstruction work was required. After the defeats of Germans in the region of
Walcheren, PoA were largely in control of Americans and Britain. An agreement assigned a
large portion of the northern section of the port to the Americans and the southern section
and the city of Antwerp to the British forces.

Page 2 of 26
During 1944-46, PoA was predominantly used by Americans for their military purposes. In
the first half year of 1945, the average amount of cargo discharged was around 0.5 million
tons per month. After the capitulation of Japan, shipments were directed to the United
States. As from November 1945 the activities declined and by October 1946 all US Army
operations ceased
When peace returned work started on the Grote Doorsteek, an ambitious plan which
ultimately resulted in the extension of the docklands on the right bank of the Scheldt to the
Dutch border. The construction of the Berendrecht Lock was the crowning element of this
plan. It was the world's largest shipping lock when inaugurated in 1989. Since 1989,
development has been concentrated on the creation of fast turnround tidal berths, both on
the Right Bank (Europa Terminal and the North Sea Terminal) and on the Left Bank
(Deurganck Dock)

Layout

The Right Bank

With the opening of the Berendrecht Lock (1989), a crowning achievement in developing
the right bank dock complex was obtained. With a length of 500 m between the lock gates
and a width of 68 m, the Berendrecht lock was the largest lock in the world at that time.
This lock has a depth of 13.50 m, which makes the sill depth at mean high water equal to
17.75 m.
Apart from the Lock, still further development of the right bank has been undertaken on the
banks of the Scheldt outside the dock complex. Two large container terminals have been
opened here. In 1990, the Europe terminal was operative, while secondly, the North Sea
terminal became operative in 1997.
The older areas of the port, such as the Bonaparte dock are being modernized as needs
dictate to make them suitable for modern cargo handling operations. Among this
modernisation, an upgrade of the Amerika dock, the Albert dock and the third harbour dock
are being done to make them accessible to Panamax ships, which have a draught of 42 feet
(13 m).

Page 3 of 26
Other modernisation projects being undertaken is the Delwaide dock, which will soon be
able to serve the latest generation of container vessels. The Southern part of the Delwaide
dock, the MSC Home Terminal is a partnership between PSA Hesse-Noord Natie and
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). Due to a total quay length of more than 2 km,
several ships can be handled at the same time. The MSC Home Terminal has an annual
capacity of more than 3.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

The Left Bank

The first plans for the development of the Waaslandhaven on Antwerp’s left bank were
prepared in the boom years of the 1960s. At that time, it was hoped that agreement could
be reached with the Dutch on the construction of the Baalhoek Canal, which would have run
from Kallo in Belgium through the Drowned Land of Saefthinge (on Dutch territory) into the
Western Scheldt. This grand concept had the advantage that it would cut off the difficult
bend known as the Bocht van Bath and facilitate access to deep draught ships.
Work started on the Kallo Lock in 1979, and by the end of the 1980s the basic outlines of the
Waaslandhaven were by and large complete. The main constituents are the Waasland
Canal, the Verrebroek Dock, and the Vrasene Dock. The abandonment of the Baalhoek Canal
project meant that an additional dock, known as the Doel Dock, would never be fitted out
for shipping.
The development of the sites in the new docklands got off to a slow start, but took off in the
1990s. Nowadays, the trades handled in the Vrasene Dock include forest products, fruit
juice, cars, plastic granulates, scrap and bulk gas. The equipping of the Verrebroek Dock
started in 1996 and saw the arrival of its first seagoing ship in 2000. When finalized, this
dock will offer a total of 5 km of berths with a draught of 14.5 m

The Deurganck Dock

Since the existing container terminals on the right bank of the Scheldt have reached their
maximum capacity and the container freight volume
keeps increasing (in 2007 it expanded by 8.2% to 8
million TEU) a new dock complex was constructed: the
tidal Deurganck Dock, which is open to the river and
which does not require vessels to pass through any
lock. The first terminal in this dock was opened on July
6, 2005. The full capacity of the dock is estimated at
more than 8 to 9 million TEU. The Deurganck dock has
a wharf length of 5.5 km and consists of a total of
1,200,000 cubic metres of concrete
With the investment of nearly 340 million euros, the
Kieldrecht Lock, a new lock at the end of the
Deurganckdock, giving access to the docks in the port area on the left bank opened in June
2016 and is the largest lock in the world. The lock is deeper than the Berendrecht Lock, the
previous largest, in response to the trend towards ever-larger ships. On the landward side,
facing the dock complex, the lock leads into the Waasland canal. From there the ships have
easy access to all the other docks on the left bank: the Doel dock, the Verrebroek dock, the
Vrasene dock and the North and South mooring docks.

Page 4 of 26
Freight Categories

Port of Antwerp practically handles all products used in our day-to-day life. And every
product requires its own method of transport, or packaging. Five types of cargo can be
distinguished: container cargo, liquid bulk, dry bulk, breakbulk and ro-ro.
Container cargo

Containers are highly preferred

cargo for the transporting
products like Toys, televisions,
DVDs, clothing, meat and
computers; containers are the
best way to transport these and
many similar products. Antwerp
is the leading European port for
shipping services to and from
the Americas, Africa, the Middle
East and the Indian subcontinent and is well on its way to strengthening its position on the
Far East. he world's biggest container vessels can easily get to the port. Every week, Ultra
Large Container Ships (ULCS) safely call at the port of Antwerp utilising full cargo capacity. At
the Deurganckdock, Antwerp can be served by container vessels with a draught up to 16.0
metres* travelling up-river and 15.2 metres* down-river (* tidal window applies). PoA also
is well equipped to handle perishable items like fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood etc. It has
facilities like VAL services for containerised and conventional perishable cargo, State-of-the-
art equipment for cargo handling & storage, Highly-efficient, integrated Customs & Food
inspections etc which significantly help to shorten the transit times required for such
perishable items.
Port of Antwerp has 5 specialised container terminals as shown in the following map. Every
terminal at the port has a tri-modal access, providing fast and efficient barge, rail or road
transport to and from the hinterland. Above all, the container terminals have the highest
standards of security and control, 24/7/365.

Page 5 of 26
Liquid bulk

Crude oil, petrol, fuel oil,

vegetable oils and even wine; all
liquid products are often
transported on big tankers or
through a pipeline to the next
destination. A lot of liquid bulk
passes through the Port of
Antwerp every year. Antwerp is a
very competitive distribution
location for the liquid bulk.
Over last few years, various oil traders and tank storage companies have actively invested in
new tank storage capacity.
11 terminal operators offer
7.2 million m³ storage
capacity for all possible
liquid products on 16
multi-customer terminals:

 sensitive products
(biggest number of
stainless-steel tanks
worldwide),
 chemicals and
derivatives,
 oil drums, barrels

Page 6 of 26
  hazardous cargo. (dangerous goods)

Dry bulk

Dry bulk refers to grain, coal, iron

ore, cement, sugar, salt and sand.
They are not packaged separately
but transported in large quantities
in the hold of a ship, wagon or
lorry. A lot of the dry bulk arriving
in Antwerp is processed into
construction products. Blast
furnaces use iron ore and coal to
produce steel. But there are also
tastier examples. A lot of yeast arrives in bulk in Antwerp, which is used to make beer or
whisky.
Antwerp handles an exceptionally
wide range of bulk freight. The
extensive and high-performance
transhipment capacity linked to the
specialised handling of dry bulk and
the central location with excellent
hinterland connections, make the
port a cost-efficient alternative for
the transport of dry bulk from and
to Europe. Major bulk goods
handled in PoA are:
 Major bulk products: coal,
iron ore
 Minor bulk products: non-ferrous concentrates, cement, minerals, fertilisers and
China clay

Break Bulk

The port of Antwerp is the ultimate port for

the handling of steel, project cargo, fruit,
forest products and cars in Europe. Shipping
breakbulk requires a product specific
approach: every shipment is different. Being
the breakbulk port of Europe since 1120,
Antwerp has the skills and expertise needed
and indeed, the flexibility to create tailor-
made solutions. PoA has 17 specialised

Page 7 of 26
terminals in beak bulk and offers more than 200 break-bulk services per month. It operates
more than 15 Million tonnes of the break bulk cargo annually. For high grade steel and
project cargo, PoA has all weather terminal, barges and coasters can be loaded and
discharged under cover. Every terminal has multi-modal access with an immediate
connection to the European road, rail, feeder and waterway network.

Ro-ro

Ro-ro refers to 'roll on / roll off'. This

name explains how the cargo is
discharged and loaded. This concerns
cargo that can be driven which is only
done by especially trained drivers. Ro-
ro is used for cars, busses, trucks,
agricultural vehicles and cranes. To
transport as many of these vehicles in
one go, enormous ro-ro vessels have
been built. Some ro-ro vessels have
enough room for more than 8,500 cars! In the Antwerp port area, ro-ro is chiefly on the Left
bank.
The Port of Antwerp does more than the shipping, loading and discharging of rolling stock.
Services are offered which further
optimise the handling of rolling stock
and make the further transport of goods
to the end customer more efficient.
They include special storage options but
also vehicle processing centres with pre-
delivery inspection (PDI) activities where
cars are prepared for delivery to the
local market. Examples:
 installing accessories (bumpers,
hooks, air-conditioning, etc.)
 repair
 washing / dewaxing / spraying
 second stage manufacturing

Nautical services

Accident Investigations

General information: Maritime accidents often occur in unforeseen conditions in which

environmental, mechanical and/or human aspects play a significant role. One or more of
these aspects can cause the accident and not rarely a combination of aspects are the cause

Page 8 of 26
following Murphy’s Law.

Accidents investigations reconstruct the accident to be able to understand the cause(s).

Once understood, regulations can be applied to prevent future accidents, or the outcome
can be used in legal aspects.
Services & Activities: MARIN’s Nautical Centre, MSCN performs accident investigations by
reconstructing the accident through desktop and/or simulations. Prior to the simulations all
available data is studied and verified (desk study). Based upon this data and the
manoeuvring characteristics of the vessels involved, MSCN provides an independent opinion
on the cause of a maritime accident. In the nautical studies high end mathematical
manoeuvring models (e.g. vessel, tug or any other floating object) are used for simulation
which are well fit for complex hydrodynamic accident investigations. When required,
hydrodynamic data of in house performed model tests can be implemented, increasing the
accuracy of the behaviour of the vessel(s) involved.

Manoeuvring capability studies

General information: Manoeuvring capability studies are conducted to gain insight in the
capabilities and limitations of a required design vessel. Tugs or other aids can be included
in the study. Accurate modeling of the design vessel is of great importance on the
outcome of the study. Besides the modeling of the design vessel, assisting tugs, the lay-out
of the port and the environmental conditions (wind, wave and current) are modelled. The
manoeuvres are performed by increasing environmental conditions to establish the
limiting environmental conditions (so called operational envelope) for the design vessel.
To establish the limiting conditions, the feasibility of the manoeuvre is analysed based on
safety criteria.
Services & Activities: MSCN conducts manoeuvring capability studies focused on complex
realistic simulation environments. A manoeuvring capability study can comprise a desk
study and simulations. In the desk study the environmental and operational issues are
studied to set the determining environment and safety criteria for the manoeuvres and
which manoeuvring strategy is most suitable. In the simulations, fast time
simulations and/or real time simulations, the operational envelope is determined by
performing several manoeuvres in the required environmental settings. The fast time
simulations are cost effective, but do not include the human factor in the study. To include
the human factor, real time simulations are required. Human factors can be visual factors,
communications with tugs, etc. Prior to real time simulations often fast time simulations
are performed to limit the amount of necessary environmental conditions, which saves
time and costs. Only the doubtful conditions (autopilot versus human operation) will be
performed in the real time simulations. The real time simulations is preferably performed
by local pilots and/or captains to include local experience. If tugs play a crucial role in the
manoeuvres, it is advised to let tug masters participate in the study.

Other than the port & channel design studies, the emphasis of the manoeuvring capability
study lies on the performance of the design vessel.
Operational Procedures

General information: Operational procedures are an important guide for operations in

which safety plays a crucial role. In the operational procedures the limits of the operations
are defined and in case of an emergency, how to respond. A perfect tool to validate the

Page 9 of 26
operational procedures on practical value is to perform the operations on real time
simulators. The operations can be conducted in extreme environmental conditions (such
as ripe tides, equals, etc) and/or with emergencies. The operators can validate, fine tune
and practice the procedures unlimited improving the safety of the operation.
Services & Activities: MSCN provides the required simulation environment to validate, fine
tune and practice the operational procedures. The operational procedures can either be
submitted by the client or can be determined through accident investigations and/or
a manoeuvring capability study. All required aspects to validate the operational
procedures can be incorporated in the simulations, such as emergencies, extreme weather
environments, complex hydrodynamic effects and even BRM (Bridge Resource
Managements) aspects. Once the operational procedures are validated by experienced
operators, other operators can be trained.
Port and Channel Design Studies

General information: The design of port and/or an approach channel encompasses several
disciplines including ship handling and maritime engineering to design waterways to a
desired level of navigability and safety. This requires the assessment of several key
elements, including vessel size and behaviour, human factors in ship handling and effects
of the physical environment.

Designing the port's waterways involves designing the layout and dimensions of a port's
main water area with reference to:
 the alignment and width of approach channels and port entrances,
 the depth of approach channels,
 the size and shape of manoeuvring spaces within the port, with reference to the
stopping and swinging areas

Services & Activities: MSCN performs detailed design studies with the emphasis on
complex realistic simulation environments. By using MSCN's fast time mutations and/or
real time simulations MSCN can assess and validate the concept design study based on
safety criteria about the key elements. In addition, the design can be assessed on risks
about the complete traffic intensity.

Real time simulations are necessary to include the human factor in the study. Human
factors can be visual factors, communications with tugs, etc. Prior to real time simulations
often fast time simulations are performed to limit the amount of necessary environmental
conditions, which saves time and costs. Only the doubtful conditions (autopilot versus
human operation) will be performed in the real time simulations. The real time simulations
is preferably performed by local pilots and/or captains to include local experience. If tugs
play a crucial role in the manoeuvres, it is advised to let tug masters participate in the
study.

Other than the manoeuvring capability studies, the emphasis of the port & channel design
study lies on the effects of the physical environment.

Page 10 of 26
Operation Statistics

Following points summarise the operation statics of PoA

• The port has an experience of +200 years.
(established in 1811).
• Last year in December 2018 Port handled
11 million TEU (Twenty feet equivalent
Units of containers) i.e. 235 million tonnes
of cargo.
• POA is catering to 500 million customers at
present.
• POA is giving direct and indirect
employment to 150,000.00 full time
equivalent (FTE) employee.
• There are currently 900 companies
established in the Port area.
• POA turnover was EURO 300 million last year.
• POA has a staff of 1609 FTE.
The details of the Port of Antwerp as of January 2019 in terms of infrastructure
development are as under:
• Port area: +/- 12,000 hectare = 29,653 Acre
• Quay Length: +/- 170 KM.
• Railway Tracks: +/- 1,000 KM
• Roads: +/- 400 KM

Inland navigation

The Port of Antwerp’s deep inland location and unique combination of cargo handling,
industry and logistics make it Europe’s leading integrated maritime and logistics platform.
Port of Antwerp is at central position within
Northern Europe. It is connected to inland terminals
in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany and
Switzerland
A vast network of highways, railroads, inland
waterways and pipelines guarantee smooth
transport to and from all major European markets.
Its regular maritime services to the foreland and
customs facilities tailored to the needs makes it the
most reliable and cost-efficient supply chain partner
in Europe.

Page 11 of 26
The “banana” contains the main European centers of production and consumption. Sixty
percent of the European purchasing power is within 500 km from Antwerp 

Accessible by high capacity waterways
• Scheldt
• Scheldt-Rhine canal
• Albert canal
• Brussels-Sea canal
• Canal Ghent Terneuzen

In 2017, an estimated 49,900 barges called at the port to

transport breakbulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk and containers
to and from Belgium, Northern France, the Netherlands,
Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Every week, more than 220 container shuttles operate to
and from 85 European destinations.
Inland navigation accounts for 37% of the total maritime
transport of goods between the port and destinations in
the European hinterland.

Inland navigation and the environment

The Antwerp Port Authority has encouraged hauliers, logistics players and other companies
in the port to improve air and water quality for several years already.
• Barge operators can deliver their household and hazardous waste to the three recycling
parks for inland navigation in the port.
• Barge operators can also use onshore power connection points for electricity.
• We are also working on improved degassing infrastructure so that tankers that must
degas can do this even faster and cheaply.
• Clean Inland Shipping (CLINSH) aims to reduce barge emissions, with emission-reducing
technology, alternative fuels and onshore power supplies.
Multimodal features

1. The pipeline networks. Pipelines offer chemical and other companies a safe, reliable
and above all environment-friendly means of transport for supply and distribution of

Page 12 of 26
 their products in Belgium and surrounding countries, not least between the port and
industry complexes of Antwerp

2. Road network - A multiplicity of international road transport companies — many of

which are in the immediate vicinity of the port — transport all kinds of goods
including containers, breakbulk, bulk, ADR goods, tanks, temperature-sensitive
goods, etc.

3. Rail Transport – With the special rail Terminal with 91 tracks in total. 15 rail
operators/forwarders with extensive European networks offer comprehensive rail
connections to and from the furthest reaches of Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, China
and Korea. All kinds of transport are
possible, such as tanks, con- tainers, bulk
and breakbulk goods.

4. Barges Transport – Antwerp port is 2nd

European barge hub it has the Central
position within Northern Europe Connected

Page 13 of 26
 to inland terminals in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland
Accessible by high capacity waterways

a. Scheldt
b. Scheldt-Rhine canal
c. Albert canal
d. Brussels-Sea canal
e. Canal Ghent Terneuzen

Multifunctional platform

Multifunctional platform that combines distribution and value-added logistics, industry and
port operation in one performing cluster.

7.2 million m3
16 terminals 3 Vehicle 7 Steel service
processing centres centres Liquid bulk storage
Specialising in
capacity
breakbulk

7 of the 10 300.000 m2 6.3 million m2

Largest chemical Covered all- Covered storage

companies weather terminal space

16 million TEU 680,000 m3 2 million m3

Container capacity Silo storage Refrigerated
capacity
storage capacity

Page 14 of 26
European Clusters
Clusters
Clusters are groups of specialized enterprises – often SMEs – and other related supporting
actors that cooperate closely together in a location. In working together SMEs can be more
innovative, create more jobs and register more international trademarks and patents than
they would alone. The EU Cluster Portal provides tools and information on key European
initiatives, actions and events for clusters and their SMEs with the aim of creating more
world-class clusters across the EU.

Why do Clusters matter?

Michael E. Porter (1998) defines clusters as “geographically proximate groups of

interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by
commonalities and complementarities”. Clusters are important, because they allow companies
to be more productive and innovative than they could be in isolation. Clusters reduces the
barriers to entry for new business creation relative to other locations. They can only play this
role, because the firms and institutions in a cluster share four critical characteristics:
• Proximity: they need to be sufficiently close in space to allow any positive spill-overs and
the sharing of common resources to occur
• Linkages: their activities need to share a common goal, for example, final market demand,
for them to be able to profit from proximity and interaction
• Interactions: being close and working on related issues is not enough – for positive cluster
effects to occur some level of active interaction must be present
• Critical mass: finally, there needs to be enough participants present for the interactions to
have a meaningful impact on companies’ performance.

Port of Antwerp: Europe’s Largest Chemical Cluster

Gateway for Major Players - With 40 square kilometres of chemical industry housing the
world's major players, the port of Antwerp may rightfully call itself the largest European

Page 15 of 26
chemical cluster. Its central position with easy access to both German and French industrial
hot spots and major local production of chemicals make Antwerp an attractive facilitator for
chemical companies worldwide. With continuous investments, the port of Antwerp keeps
improving its capacity, with proper respect for safety and the environment.
Leading Chemical Companies

Seven of the world's top 10 chemical companies have their plants here. Significant
investments are undertaken by the likes of majors such as BASF, TOTAL, Kuwait Petroleum,
LANXESS and Evonik. These companies keep their plants in Antwerp competitive and at
world-class efficiency levels.

Deep-Sea Traffic in the Heart of Europe

Right in the centre of the continent of Europe, the port of Antwerp continues to thrive. Its
location is ideal because of the many industrial sites at relatively short distances, which is of
course very advantageous for transportation of chemicals. The port also has easy access for
deep-sea ships. It can receive Triple E Class container ships and Class LR2 tankers. Its central
position and easy access combined with a dense foreland and hinterland network make the
port of Antwerp a great partner for the chemical industry.
Largest Chemical Storage Capacity in Europe
The Port Authority and the private sector have invested and continue to invest strongly in
expanding the capacity of the oil and chemical sectors. As a result, maritime transport for
tank storage companies has grown by 151% in the past 10 years. Over the same period the
number of tank storage terminals has risen by 40%, to 15, while the total tank storage
capacity has doubled to 6.3 million cubic meters. The port of Antwerp has Europe's largest
storage capacity for the petrochemical industry, with nearly 350,000 cubic meters of
stainless-steel tanks and eight multi-customer plastics terminals with a total storage
capacity of more than 430,000 cubic meters.
All these terminals operate to the highest standards (Safety, Security, Health, Environmental
care and Quality - SSHEQ) for storage and value-added activities.
Important Nodal Point of European Pipeline Network

The port of Antwerp is the most important nodal point for the West European pipeline
network. Pipelines offer a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly means of transport for
the oil, chemical and energy sectors to supply and distribute their products in Belgium and
neighbouring countries.
Within the Antwerp chemical and petrochemical cluster, the manufacturing and tank
storage companies are connected by more than 100 different product pipelines: Nearly
1,000 kilometres of pipelines transport about 90% of the liquid products within the port.
Antwerp, the largest producer of ethylene in Europe, is connected to the ARG network that
supplies all the ethylene to the chemical industry in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
From Antwerp there are numerous pipelines to Terneuzen, Rotterdam, Feluy and the
Rhine/Ruhr area.
The relatively short delivery distances within the port of Antwerp, together with the huge
pipeline network, ensure fast, safe and environmentally friendly transportation. This

Page 16 of 26
correlates very well with the requirements of the chemical companies under their
Responsible Care scheme.

Hinterland policy

Intermodal Solutions

• Instream contributes to improved and

safer inland navigation traffic flows,
Open
Access combined container handling in the terminals
and efficient distribution in port.
Maritime Minimum
volumes critical mass
• We want to increase of container
distribution efficiency within the port. The
Intermodal Premium Barge Service (PBS) assures fast and
Solutions
Direct (ambition) efficient container transport between the
Transparent & high various port terminals.
cooperation frequent
• The port community wants to
Intraport
distribution
encourage the bundling of small volumes of
containers by inland navigation.

Infrastructure

Hinterland transport infrastructure comprises of :

Kieldrechtlock: It is the 2nd lock on the left bank which provides congestion free access. It is
operational since June 2016. Total investment in its making was of 340 million euro.
Bridges Albert canal: There is a work in progress for heightening the bridges and widening
the canal There are in total 63 bridges which allow barges of capacity 10000 ton with 4
layers of containers to pass.
Liefkenshoek Rail Tunnel: This is one of the most important pieces of PoA infrastructure
which connect left bank and right bank. It is a 16.2 km long direct connection. It is also the
only congestion-free route to Germany, France and the Netherlands. It is operational since
December 2014. Rails infrastructure also includes 2 electrified tracks with 7.2 km long
tunnels with capacity of 109 freight per train/direction/day 

Support Services: The Port of Antwerp Connectivity Platform features a handy list of all the
inland navigation and rail services for containers in Europe. Port of Antwerp Intermodal
Solutions facilitates the start-up of new or more frequent services to strategic European
destinations, working with the inland navigation sector and forwarders.

Why a Hinterland Policy?

One of the major reasons for the policy is the central location of PoA in the European inland
waterway network or any other means of navigation. It is closer to the point of departures
and arrivals. It contributes a lot in cost cutting and reducing carbon foot prints.

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Hence, we can say Port of Antwerp provides cost efficient and flexible transport solutions.
A point of contact for your questions and
proposals on new intermodal services
or
frequency increases of existing intermodal
services, including via cargo bundling.
A neutral facilitator aiming at realizing:
• fluent intraport traffic 

• optimal connectivity 
 with the
main economic centers in Europe

and beyond through expansion of
the rail, barge and road services
• an increased visibility of the
trimodal transport options through
the Port of Antwerp Connectivity Platform 


Value Added Services

The Port of Antwerp has the most extensive offer of logistics services such as storage,
packaging, testing, cleaning, cutting, weighing, sorting, processing, labelling and maturing.
All types of freight are tailored to the local market needs for the customer at the port, thus
avoiding unnecessary transport and operations and reducing costs. Experienced
professionals provide the perfect services to ensure all goods are delivered to the end
customer under the most favorable circumstances.
Some 900 logistics companies in the port offer many services creating an added value that is
quite unique:

 loading and unloading,

 storage and distribution of cargo,
 dealing with customs and phytosanitary procedures,
 fiscal representation,
 stock management,
 tailor-made services for your cargo: controlling, packaging, cutting, weighing,
sorting, labeling, processing, ... of all types of cargo.

Providing customized solutions is key to these companies. Their can-do mentality is renowned
worldwide, always looking for the logistic solution that best fits the customer's supply chain needs.
Most of the logistics companies in Antwerp have the AEO-full certificate, enabling a more efficient
cargo flow. All logistics activities are IT supported to guarantee the quality as well as the visibility of
the supply chain.

Biggest port in the world for tobacco

The port of Antwerp is the world's biggest tobacco storage center. Apart from the added value
services such as supply management, weighing, sorting, sampling, risk control and considerable
sanitary checks, the service providers offer far-reaching innovative techniques such as Integrated

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Pest Management, inspection zones with adjustable light installations and professional humidity
measurement installations for tobacco samples.

European coffee stock

Antwerp is where almost half the European stock of raw coffee is stored. The coffee is made
available to roasting houses, traders and futures markets. Again, a lot of added value services are
offered: bulking, bagging, re-palletizing, foil protecting, pre-blending, pre-cleaning and transport.
The warehouses are certified for the futures markets in London (LIFFE Robusta) and New York
(NYBOT Arabica).

Ultramodern fruit handling

Antwerp has the most automated fruit terminal in the world. Every year 600,000 tons of fruit is
handled. The pallets are put on a network of conveyor belts which transport the fruit to the storage
areas. Following quality control, the fruit is automatically taken from the storage areas and
transferred to the loading zones for transport.

Steel

Antwerp is not only Europe's biggest steel port, it also houses different dedicated steel centers. On
different production lines, hot-rolled steel rolls of the coil and is cut to size. Depending on the
customer's wishes, the cut steel is packaged and labelled. This allows a very cost-efficient transport
of steel products.

Packaging and consolidation of project cargo

The main project cargo port of Europe, companies in the Port of Antwerp provide added value
through the consolidation, handling, packaging and forwarding of project cargo from all over Europe.
Services such as document management, storage in the bonded warehouse, customs handling,
loading and transport, and the management of turnkey projects provide integrated logistics support.

Vehicle Processing Centres

Car terminals in the port are equipped with Vehicle Processing Centers. On arrival, new cars are
cleaned, the paraffin or copolymer layer is removed, accessories are added, the cars are inspected,
and manuals provided. Small repairs are also carried out in accordance with the OEM quality
standard, using spectrometry and UV technology

Consolidation hub for plastic granulates

Thanks to the strong presence of chemical companies, the port offers an extensive platform for the
storage and distribution of granulates and powders to make PET bottles. The port area on the Left
Bank has more than 1000 silos. Granulates and powders are packaged in bags on demand or
delivered in bulk in tank lorries

Quality malt production

Antwerp houses Europe's second biggest malt factory with Boortmalt. A barley to malt process is
very meticulous. Liquid and heat need to be very carefully managed. The Boortmalt business model
is renowned for delivering a high-quality production, as well as being responsible for the handling,
storage and quality control of the malt of other companies.

Certified for health products

Service providers in the port with a “good distribution practice” certificate is certified for the storage
of health products. In addition to this good distribution practice for storage, they also have the

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necessary licenses to package health products. A qualitative treatment of health products in the Port
of Antwerp is always guaranteed.

Training Facilities

The POA is very big and need skilled labours so to fulfil this requirement POA open their
own training centre for port workers by the name of CEPA started in 1980. At present there
are 38 instructors in the training centre. The training centre work closely with the employers
and the trade unions i.e. BTB: socialist, ACV: Christian
and ACLVB: liberals
The work done under CEPA are as under
 Port Labour
 Organisation of pool
 Port reforms
 Hiring system
 Wages
 Social advantages

The program consists of both theoretical and practical lessons on the various aspects of
handling goods at the quays. Below you will find a short overview of the themes that are
covered in the course.
Theory

 Lifting loads
 Sticking material
 Accidents at work and safety
 Port vehicles and lifting
equipment
 Hazardous products
 Containers
 Structure of the port
 FIRST AID

Practice
Learn to deal with …
 Manually handle goods
 Sticking material
 Long iron, plates, tubes
 Stuffing and stripping containers

Digital, innovation & information

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NxtPort's main goal is to unlock the potential of sharing existing data amongst the port's
players. The NxtPort Data Utility Platform allows faster, more cost-effective, as well as more
efficient transfers of data between the different players. The platform creates more
transparency in the whole shipping process. NxtPort aims to increase operational efficiency,
safety and revenue. This way, the data within the port is not only shared in a better way, the
combination of existing data will lead to innovative solutions as well. They create new
business and fresh revenue streams for the Port Community and its individual players

Golden Driving Principles

 DATA ONWERHIP- The data provider always remains the data owner.
 DATA SHARING - The data provider decides in which context his data can be used.
 DATA VS APPS - We develop and manage the data platform. We do not develop
applications. Developing applications is done by "the market", to stimulate
innovation and efficiency.
 ENTRY BARRIER - The NxtPort platform has a low barrier to entry: the financial risk
(or "value at stake") rests on the shoulders of the industry.
 SHARED BENEFITS - The data users share the financial benefits.
 WELCOME - Everybody is welcome, nobody is excluded (or forced in) as a data
provider or data user.

Before NxtPort After NxtPort

n
parties =
1

connection

Advantages
NxtPro helps to maintain the live products on the market-place

Import Consignment: Re-use the cargo information

digitally
VGM: Method 1 : Request the weight of an export
container (SOLAS method I)
Port Directory: Up to date contact information by
integrating your systems with the yellow pages of the
port community
e-Balie+ Notifications: Receive status updates for
cargo reported through e-Balie/e-Desk

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Vesselstay: Look up a vessel's basic stay information within the port of Antwerp
UN/Locode: Use the UN/LOCODE dataset with ease in your applications
Arrival at Exit: Send the Charge Report (IE507) to Customs for export containers known in the E-balie
application
Next Mode of Transport: Announce the NMoT of your container to the terminal
Green Lights: Check the different release steps of your container in the import process
Portcall+: Precise and real-time information on the movement of vessels
Export Manifest: Send an automated manifest when vessels with export cargo leave the port

Port of Hamburg, Germany

Location

The Port of Hamburg is conveniently located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. It is
easy to access from the North Sea via the Elbe
River. Only about 70 sea miles separate the city
from the river mouth. The Kiel Canal connects the
port to Scandinavia and the whole Baltic Sea region.
The Elbeseitenkanal and the Midland Canal offer
excellent transport connections to the hinterland.
It's Germany's largest port and is named the
country's "Gateway to the World". In terms of TEU
throughput, Hamburg is the third-busiest port in
Europe and 15th-largest worldwide.
The port covers an area of 73.99 km² (64.80 km²
usable), of which 43.31 km² (34.12 km²) are land

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areas. The location is naturally advantaged by a branching Elbe, creating an ideal place for a
port complex with warehousing and transshipment facilities. The extensive free port was
established when Hamburg joined the German Customs Union. It enabled duty-free storing
of imported goods and importing of materials which were processed, re-packaged, used in
manufacturing and then re-exported without incurring customs duties. The free port was
abandoned in 2013.

Terminal and logistical Facilities

Hamburg port has total of 32 terminal which include cruise ship Terminal.
Port of Hamburg is handling below cargos.

Hamburg also has access to continental railway network as well and therefore it has
hinterland connections which are environmentally friendly. The port railways and cross-
regional networks are utilized for effective transportation of about 30 % of total cargo
volumes managed in Port of Hamburg. Almost 50% of the containers handled by the port
are transported by rail over the distances greater than 150 km and 12% of German freight
rail transportation begins and ends in Port of Hamburg (Hamburg Port Authority, 2012).
Thus, the port is being classified as a hub as it is a delivery and central cargo distribution
site. It is a hub for Eastern Europe, Baltic and Scandinavian countries and Russia as well

Benchmarking Score Data

Hamburg Antwerp
No of 4 5
Container Terminals
No of Berths 22 24
Total length of berth (m) 6590 8665
No of Cranes 81 74
Surface of Container 4.3 5.36
Terminal
(Million sq. m)
Reefer Points 5220 6835
Depth 15 16
Labour Days 360 360

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 Daily Operation 24 24

The centrepiece of a cluster structure

The Port of Hamburg is of outstanding macro-economic importance. It is the biggest and

most significant German port and Europe’s second largest container port. It generates jobs
for the City of Hamburg and the metropolitan region and attracts industrial and logistics
companies. As a modern and efficient transport hub for central, northern and eastern
Europe it ensures the smooth international exchange of goods. In addition, the Port of
Hamburg efficiently combines environmentally friendly modes of transport such as ship and
railway. In the medium and long term, the aim is to utilise more fully the macro-economic
added-value potential the port offers
The port and its surrounding area are home to a broad mix of traditional and new economic
sectors comprised of large, midsized and small businesses that contribute substantially to
the stability and economic development of the metropolitan region and connect it to the
world’s high-growth regions. Benefitting from these positive effects are, on the one hand,
sectors that are closely related to the port such as shipbuilding, transport and logistics, and
on the other hand sectors like gastronomy or tourism. The maritime orientation of scientific
institutions enables the speedy transfer of technologies and innovations to all cluster-
relevant fields. Among these institutions are the state universities, Hamburgische
Schiffsbau-Versuchsanstalt, Fraunhofer-Center für Maritime Logistik, Kühne Logistics
University, Center of Maritime Technologies, Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau, Bundesamt für
Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie and the hospital for tropical diseases.

Digital networking pioneer in Supply Chain

Underwater drones, autonomous trucks and paperless Customs clearance – the future is
already buzzing in the Port of Hamburg.
The port’s rail, road and inland waterway traffic is already digitally guided. Experience from
the port is of importance for the entire city and applicable to its complex traffic system.
The ‘Green4Transport’ project should be networking vehicles with traffic lights and guiding
truck columns through intersections. The introduction of 5G in the port as a testbed will
facilitate implementation of further visionary projects. This infrastructure offers a superb
way of enabling all players in the port to head into the future together.
Drones will also be an indispensable feature of the port. Hamburg Port Authority can
envisage using underwater drones to monitor quay walls and Elbe sediment in future.
Airborne drones could be used, for example, to inspect the load-bearing cables of the
Köhlbrand Bridge.
The port has now achieved a digitalization rate of 95 percent. Around 2000 companies are
connected. The primary reason for the attainment of this result is trust. To network
procedures and speed up processes, competing operators, service providers and customers
are giving insights into their data.

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Digital Hub Logistics Hamburg aims to provide further momentum for ‘Port 4.0’ or ‘Hafen
4.0’. This is the first port of call for the digital business transformation of the logistics
industry on land, water and in the air.

Training Facilities

HPTI Hamburg Port Training Institute GmbH is a specialized organization with the explicit
business purpose of conceptualizing, designing,
managing, and executing tailor-made training courses,
seminars and study tours for participants from all over
the world and consulting in manpower development and human resources matters.
Founded in 1981, HPTI is part of the Hamburg port community and draws on the experience
of one of the most efficient and advanced ports worldwide.
The company has specialist staff of different qualifications with know-how and experience in
the provision of training and manpower development consultancy services in transport-
related projects worldwide.
HPTI is divided into four areas of competence – individual yet integrated
 Port & Shipping,
 Logistics & Transport
 Environment & Safety/Security
 Education and Training Systems

Services offered by HPTI

 Development and realization of training interventions for corporate clients

 Made-to-measure competency building and skill improvement training courses
 Conceptualization and execution of courses on demand
 Execution of training needs assessments and manpower audits
 Execution of Environmental Studies
 Assistance in the establishment of training functions and facilities

A Quick comparison with Port of Antwerp

Port Of Antwerp Port Of Hamburg

Location A river port a sea port on the
in Flanders, Belgium, is a port in river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany,
the heart of Europe accessible 110 kilometres from its mouth
to capesize ships. on the North Sea.

Ranking European Ranking #2 European Ranking #3

World Ranking #14 World Ranking #18

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 Land Area 12,068 hectares 4331 hectares
Biggest port in the world

Terminals 49
16 Terminals for Liquid bulk
5 Deepsea terminals for
containers
15 terminals for break bulk
13 terminals for dry bulk
44
4 Container terminals
6 General cargo terminals
31 Bulk cargo terminals
3 Cruise terminals

Total Cargo 214.16 Million Tons 135.1 Million Tons

Container Capacity 15 Million TEU 8.7 Million TEU

Deep sea nautical Ships with Draft of 16 meters
accessibility can come to port.
Number of Employees at 1584 employees
port Authority
Maximum Vessel size Over 500 feet in length
Harbour type River tide gate
Water Depth 1. Channel - 36-40 Feet
11-12.2 meter
2. Cargo Pier- 36-40 feet
11-12.2 meter
3.mean tide – 4 feet
4. Oil Terminal – 41-45 feet
12.5-13.7 meter
Ships with Draft of 15.10 meters
can come to port, depending on
the tides. In normal tide
condition ships with draft of
12.80 meters can come anytime
1900 employees
Over 500 feet in length
River Basin
1. Channel - 31-35 Feet
9.4-10 meter
2. Cargo Pier- 16-20 feet
4.9-6.1 meter
3.mean tide – 7 feet
4. Oil Terminal – 41-45 feet
12.5-13.7 meter

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