Port of Ghent: the largest dry bulk port in Belgium
Series: Logistical hotspots in the Benelux
Ghent is more than just a new circulation plan, the Ghent Festival or the Six Days of Ghent. It recently came out that 2016 was the best year ever for the port of Ghent. In total, 51 million tons of water-borne cargo traffic was registered, 9.8% more than in 2015. A good 29.1 million tons of that was in the category maritime shipping, which is a record. Furthermore, Ghent once again booked unseen numbers regarding the transshipment of conventional mixed goods, and registered a new record volume in liquid bulk. Ghent saw its position as a bulk port and the largest dry bulk port in the country affirmed once more. What are the advantages of this logistical hotspot?
Ghent's port house
Location
The port business already puts a lot of focus on distribution. The industrial areas surrounding the port houses many logistical service providers. The port is multi-modal, all quays have railway tracks. Thanks to the Ghent-Dampoort station, the rail network is a stone's throw away. Ghent forms a junction for the Dutch, German and French inland navigation, and is directly connected to the North Sea through the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. The road network is great too: the port is perfectly connected to, among other things, the sliproads to the R4 West and East, the ring road around Ghent. This facilitates traffic to the logistical industrial areas thanks to the absence of traffic lights.
Infrastructure
There is still quite a lot of maritime space available in Ghent. In 2010, 400 ha of space was developed around the Kluizendok. Around 100 ha of that is now taken, which means there is still 300 ha available. The utilities have already been constructed. WDP has invested in a new logistical attraction here as well. Right next to the sliproads, with an extra railway track to the distribution centre. Furthermore, there are still areas of fragmented maritime and industrial zones available in the industrial zones of the private developer, G2I. In 2016, the Port of Ghent extended 27 ha of land in which companies could invest and develop activities.
Large distribution centres
WDP is not the only large player who chose to have a presence in the port of Ghent. For example, there are quite a few suppliers to Volvo Cars. DSV and other large 3PLs have important branches there. Honda is also present with a distribution centre. All engines, motorcycles, lawnmowers and automotive equipment headed for the market in Europe, the Middle East and North America pass through the port of Ghent. Besides, the most important trade partners of the port in 2016 were Canada, Russia and Brazil. Furthermore, there was much trade with Sweden, China and Great Britain over the last year.
Focus on bulk
With the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge around the corner, you would think that competition is fierce. But it is not so bad. Each has their own specialisation. Zeebrugge is the automotive and LNG port. Antwerp is the largest container port, while only about 100,000 containers pass through Ghent in a year. But, because of its tradition as an industrial city, Ghent is a bulk port and the largest dry bulk port in Belgium. In 2016, a good 17.7 million tons of dry bulk entered the port. This means it takes in 61% of volume through maritime shipping. Liquid bulk is also rising, with a doubling of tonnage to 5.5 million tons in 2016.
The future
The port area is legally defined. That means the port can only be developed within the predetermined outlines. Maritime land is scarce, but the available 300 ha will not be filled in the coming five years. Furthermore, the design of the land will also be optimised in the future, allowing for more maritime activities. For one, the port of Ghent wants to see in the long-term, 20% more activity in the oldest part of the port. Reachability is being worked on as well: in the autumn works will commence on the construction of the new Terneuzen lock. In other words, the future of the port of Ghent is certain.
