Extra Container Capacity Antwerp (ECA)

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is Belgium's most important economic engine. Container traffic plays a major role in this regard. Containers keep our society and economy going. They ensure our provisioning, allow our companies to flourish and distribute our Belgian products on international markets.

The COVID pandemic and the blockage of the Suez Canal caused a global disruption of logistics chains. This resulted in a major lack of space on Antwerp's container terminals. More recently, the situation on the terminals eased as container throughput declined in Northwestern Europe. This was the result of a slowing global economy, partly due to the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. In that difficult market, Antwerp managed to increase its market share. This means that as soon as growth resumes, capacity will soon hit the limits again. The need to optimise and expand container capacity in the port of Antwerp therefore remains strong.

Additional container capacity is needed in order to retain the trust of investors and secure local business. Sustainable growth is essential in order to secure Antwerp's position as a hub in the global market. In order to maintain this competitive position, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is investing in more and better container capacity. With ECA, Port of Antwerp-Bruges will ensure sustainable growth and the prosperity of current and future generations.

With new hyper-efficient terminals, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is building the port infrastructure of the future. Through research and participation, the aim is a smarter project which balances economic needs with the concerns of the environment. Consideration for our environment and climate is the touchstone for everything we do. Port of Antwerp-Bruges fully supports the European and Flemish climate ambitions, and aims to be climate-neutral by 2050.

Various alternatives were considered in the search for the most suitable location for extra container capacity in Antwerp. The Flemish Government approved the siting of the extra capacity, in a preferred decision. This decision is the result of consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

The essential growth of the port requires solutions which will limit inconvenience in the surrounding area. Port activities have an impact on the wider environment – beneficial, but sometimes also disruptive – on both sides of the Scheldt and in the rest of Flanders.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a pioneer when it comes to making container traffic greener. By investing in the electrification of terminals, emission reductions and the modal shift, we are accelerating the sustainability of shipping and logistics.

Ships that berth use auxiliary engines to generate power. This consumption makes a significant contribution to the total emissions of nitrogen oxides and greenhouse gases in the port. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is aiming to reduce emissions from ships in the port area to zero by 2050. We are bringing this about by providing innovative solutions, such as shore power, as standard at the ECA terminals, and rolling this technology out at existing terminals.

Thanks to shore power, moored ships can connect to the electricity grid, allowing them to switch off their engines. Moreover, the new terminals will also be virtually emission-free. As a pioneer, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is helping other ports achieve more efficient and greener container traffic. 

As the logistical crossroads in Europe, Antwerp's road network has to handle a lot of traffic. ECA is fully committed to the modal split: more transport of containers via rail, inland navigation and night transport. Transporting containers in an alternative way or at different times frees up Antwerp's road network and avoids congestion. Finally, we are targeting a reduction in emissions from trucks with our efforts in electrification and hydrogen projects for road transport. As such, in 2021 we launched a pilot project on night transport and electric transport.

Would you like to know more about the complex ECA project? Visit the website of the Department of Mobility and Public Works. For more information about the process, participation procedures and the consultation of notes, records and reports, visit CPECA.