Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge
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Image:452px-MnpBruggeenhavenMap.jpg Bruges and the port area of Bruges-Zeebrugge (pink) |
Image:Bruges L7 20010523.jpg Satellite image of Bruges and the Port |
The Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge (Port of Zeebrugge) is a large container, bulk cargo, new vehicles and passenger ferry terminal port in the municipality of Bruges, Flanders, Belgium, handling over 40 million tonnes of cargo annually. This includes over 10 million tonnes each of both roll-on/roll-off and containerized cargo.
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[edit] General
In the last 15 years Zeebrugge has become a multifaceted port for the handling of a wide range of cargo: unit loads (trailers and containers), new cars, conventional general cargo, 'high & heavy' cargoes, dry and liquid bulk cargoes and natural gas. From a pure transit port Zeebrugge has gradually evolved into a centre for European distribution.
The port has become a major European port since a major expansion that occurred from 1972 to 1985. Since that time total tonnage has doubled. Being the fastest growing port of Europe, Bruges-Zeebrugge is Europe's first port for RoRo traffic and, with 1,933,910 unities handled in 2006, the world's most important port for the import and export of new vehicles. It's also the most important European handling terminal for natural gas LNG, with the Zeepipe connecting it to the main Norwegian gas fields in the North Sea. LNG is also shipped in from Algeria.
The port employs over 11,000 people and handles over 10,000 ship moorings annually.
The most important functions of the port are:
- Intense RoRo traffic between the Continent, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Southern Europe;
- European hub port for the automotive industry;
- Container port with a good nautical accessibility for + 9,000 TEU ships;
- Import of Liquified Natural Gas and energy products;
- Handling, storage and distribution of perishables and other agricultural products;
- Handling of conventional general cargo and 'high & heavy' cargoes;
- Passenger transport;
- Organisation of the European distribution via an intricate network of hinterland connections.
The port of Bruges-Zeebrugge is managed by the Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeevaartinrichtingen N.V. (abbreviated MBZ).
[edit] Trumps of the port
The port complex of Bruges-Zeebrugge offers several main assets, which will allow freight volume to develop further in the years to come, namely:
- The favourable geographical position:
- On the coast of the North Sea, the busiest sea in the world;
- Central in relation to other North Sea ports;
- Within a short distance of Great Britain;
- Close to the major, densely populated and industrialised cities;
- Good nautical accessibility with a deep water draught in the entrance fairways and along the quays;
- Good road and rail connections to all countries of Continental Europe;
- Several daily liner services to Great Britain and to other ports in northern and southeren Europe, Zeebrugge being the cross-roads for traffic in all directions;
- A network of intercontinental and intra-European container services;
- Modern port equipment, recently established, which meets all the expectations of modern shipping and handling techniques;
- A large potential of skilled labour achieving high productivity.
[edit] Terminals
The port of Zeebrugge consists of an outer port, an inner port (Zeebrugge) and an inner port (Bruges). Below, the different terminals are given.
| Terminal | Type | Website |
|---|---|---|
[edit] Outer port Zeebrugge | ||
| APM Terminal | Container | www.apmterminals.com |
| CdMC - Swedish Quay | Container | www.cobelfret.com |
| Container Handling Zeebrugge (CHZ) | Container | www.psahnn.be |
| Euroservices NV | Liquid bulk | www.euroservices.be |
| Fluxys - LNG Terminal | Bulk | www.fluxyslng.net |
| Leopold II Terminal | ||
| P&O Ferries | Roro | www.POferries.com |
| PSA HNN RO-RO Division - Wielingen Terminal | Roro | www.psahnn.be |
| Sea-Ro - Brittannia | Roro | www.searo.be |
| SeaRo - Wielingen dock | Roro | www.searo.be |
| Superfast Ferries | Roro | www.superfast.com |
[edit] Inner port Zeebrugge | ||
| Belgian New Fruit Wharf | Conventional and containers | www.sea-invest.be |
| Borlix | Bulk | www.borlix.be |
| Bridgestone | Distribution | www.bridgestone-eu.com |
| CdMZ | Distribution | www.cobelfret.com |
| Flanders Cold Center | Conventional and containers | www.sea-invest.be |
| Fluxys - peak shaving installation | Bulk | www.fluxys.net |
| Hanson Belgium Aggregates NV | Bulk | www.hanson.be |
| ICO - Bastenaken Terminal | ||
| ICO - Northern Inletdock Term. | Conventional, roro and containers | |
| Sea-Ro - Canada Terminal | Roro | www.searo.be |
| Statoil | Bulk | www.statoil.com |
| Tate & Lyle Molasses Belgium | Bulk | www.tate-lyle.co.uk |
| Toyota Vehicle Logistics Centre | Roro | www.toyota-europe.com |
| Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Zeebrugge | Roro | www.2wglobal.com |
| Zeebrugge Drydock N.V. | ||
| Zeebrugse Visveiling | Conventional | www.zv.be |
[edit] Inner port Bruges | ||
| Alzagri | Bulk | |
| De Loof bvba | Bulk | |
| Denolf Recycling | Recycling | www.galloo.com |
| Hanson Belgium Aggregates NV | Bulk | www.hanson.be |
| Interbeton | Bulk | |
| Marpos | Reception facility | www.shanks.be |
| Minne Port Services | Bulk and conventional | |
| Nieuwpoortse Handelsmaatschappij | Bulk | www.nhm.be |
| Seaport Shipping & Trading | Bulk | |
[edit] Gallery
CMA CGM Balzac.jpg
Post-Panamax-Containership CMA CGM BALZAC in PSA HNN-Terminal |
Containerschipzeebrugge.jpg
Container ship leaving the port |
Cruisezeebrugge.jpg
Cruise ship leaving the port |
Emile Cousindok.jpg
Emile Cousin dock in the inner port in Bruges |
Zeebrugge - Pano 1.jpg
View on the eastern dam of the Port of Zeebrugge, Brugge, seen from the beach of Heist, Knokke-Heist |
[edit] See also
- On 6 March 1987, the ferry Herald of Free Enterprise (owned by Townsend-Thoresen) was just outside the port, when it took on water due to the bow doors remaining open, became unstable and capsized, killing 189 passengers.
[edit] External links
Belgian ports | |
|---|---|
| Sea ports | Port of Antwerp · Port of Ghent · Port of Ostend · Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge |
| Inland ports | Port of Brussels · Port of Charleroi · Port of Liège |
de:Hafen von Brügge-Zeebrügge
fr:Port de Bruges-Zeebruges
nl:Haven van Brugge-Zeebrugge
