Container capacity

At present, 75 percent of all general cargo is containerised. The port of Antwerp has the largest container capacity in Europe and thus is a huge player on the container market.

The shipping container volume in Antwerp grows annually by 10,60 % (CAGR) over the past fifteen years, so the port of Antwerp will handle more than 14 million TEU by 2010.

The increasing container throughput is one of the reasons why the Deurganck Dock, the port’s new container tidal dock, has been developed. This dock will handle at least 7 million TEU, which provides new opportunities for the port to continue its growth in the container sector.

Storage capacity

 As a seaport, Antwerp is an important link in the chain of international trade. And thanks to its enormous storage capacity the port acts as the supermarket of Europe where all types of products obtain the specialised handling and storage that they require.

The port of Antwerp offers 6.5 million square metres of warehouse capacity, thus Antwerp is by far the largest provider of storage of all European ports, offering more covered space than all other ports in North-western Europe combined.

Many of these warehouses are specially equipped to handle particular kinds of cargo: silos for grain, cement, along with reefer tanks for juice and warehouses for cocoa and chemicals. There are also refrigerated warehouses for meat and fish. Additionally, dangerous goods can be stored in storage centres that comply with the strictest national and European safety regulations.

According to a Cushman & Wakefield study (2006), Flanders is the number 1 region for European Distribution Centres. At the moment, there are already 400 EDC near the Port of Antwerp.

Most of the warehouses can be used as Customs Bonded Warehouses, allowing import duties to be deferred until cargo is shipped to its final destination.