28 February 2015
This month our Port of the Month is Zeebruggee, a major European container port. Here, the port authority outlines the workings of the port, and its importance as a cargo handling facility, particularly automobiles, as well as its growing value as a passenger port.
ESPO: Can you briefly tell us about the port of Zeebrugge? What are its main characteristics and challenges?
Zeebrugge Port Authority (MBZ): The port of Zeebrugge has an ideal location to serve the markets of continental Europe as well as the British Isles. It is a young seaport with modern port equipment suitable for the largest ships. The present structure of the port dates from as recent as 1985. Zeebrugge is one of Europe’s prime RoRo and container ports and handles 43 million tonnes of cargo every year.
Zeebrugge is mainly a port for the handling of unit loads (containers, trailers and new cars). In addition large volumes of conventional cargo (fruit, wood pulp), high & heavy cargo, natural gas and bulk loads transit in Zeebrugge where they are skilfully handled on specialised terminals.
Zeebrugge is also a growing passenger port. The passengers make either the popular crossing by ferry to Hull in England. Or they moor in the port on board a luxury cruise vessel for a day trip to one of the many cultural cities in Flanders. Thanks to the location on the coastline and the considerable water depth, Zeebrugge has developed into the largest cruise port of Flanders with 107 calls last year. Bruges (Brugge), which is recognised as a world heritage city by the UNESCO, especially attracts cruise tourists to an increasing extent.
ESPO: How has the business of the port altered since it transferred to a deep-sea port in the 1970s?
MBZ: In the last decade, Zeebrugge has grown fast as a container port. Especially, the availability of modern infrastructure has given rise to growing deep sea traffic to the Middle and Far East. In addition Zeebrugge developed a European network for feeder traffics to convey box cargo to all major European destinations.
The geographical location on the coast, and the substantial water depth in the access channel and along the quays are major commercial trump cards. These advantages allow Zeebrugge to receive the world's largest container carriers.
The many intercontinental liner services in combination with a vast network of feeder services, turn Zeebrugge into a hub for container cargo flows in Northern Europe.
ESPO: Zeebrugge is a car handling port. How is the business evolving? What are the challenges?
MBZ: Zeebrugge is one of the world's leading ports for the export and import of new cars. Last year the port handled a record volume of 2.2 million handled units on a yearly basis. These new cars are shipped not only within Europe but also worldwide. 2015 promises to be another very strong year for the automotive sector in Zeebrugge, as our terminals are very successful in attracting new business agreements.
All major car manufacturers have put their confidence in Zeebrugge. Not only for the transport of the finished product, but also for the transport of spare parts and components which are transported between the different assembly plants in Europe.
Zeebrugge is indeed more than a mere maritime crossroads: it is foremost an ultramodern logistic platform to serve with excellence the European and intercontinental markets.
ESPO: Since 1 January, the sulphur regulation/directive has come into force. Do you already have an idea on its impact for your port?
MBZ: Yes, after two months we see the following: we had the closure of one shipping line (reverse modal shift). The shipping lines had the great luck that the fuel price dropped sharply at the end of 2014 so that the anticipated change to higher priced low sulphur fuel as from January 1st 2015 was softened. Shipping lines are using different techniques such as low sulphur bunkering fuel and scrubbers. The Port is also ready to offer LNG as bunkering fuel in the future.
ESPO: ESPO is a partner of PORTOPIA an FP7 project that aims to measure port performance. What is Zeebrugge’s approach for measuring the port’s performance?
MBZ: In Belgium we have the unique advantage that the National Bank of Belgium is measuring yearly the added value, the number of employees and investments in the Belgian seaports.
To evaluate the port’s performance we use a set of indicators such as from the study of the National Bank but also the port’s cargo throughput. The PORTOPIA project will offer us even more insight in the most suitable indicators. PORTOPIA can also provide us essential data in benchmarking exercises.
ESPO: Finally, ESPO’s Annual Conference will take place in Athens on 21 and 22 of May, where the theme will be ports and energy. The port of Zeebrugge handles a lot of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). How have developments in the European energy sector affected the work of the port? What do you see as the challenges for the future?
MBZ: Last year the European Commission released its energy security strategy, in which it developed a set of short- and long-term measures to ensure a stable and abundant supply of energy for European citizens and the economy. The Port of Zeebrugge fulfils its role as an important gas hub in North Western Europe at our LNG terminal situated in the outer port LNG tankers can (un)load LNG at two jetties. Additionally LNG from Norway is arriving in Zeebrugge through a pipeline. Another pipeline is linking the continent with the UK. The port has been a notable gas hub for over 25 years and is aiming to maintain its leading role in the future evolution of LNG bunkering.
The port has also a tradition in implementing environmental friendly alternative energies such as cold ironing/on shore electricity, windmills, solar panels.
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