Port of Antwerp attracting Chinese investors
March 28, 2013 Category Logistics, Ports & sea transport
The port of Antwerp is not only seeking to increase Chinese traffic, but also urging Chinese investors to get involved in a multibillion-euro expansion of the port. Officials from the Antwerp Port Authority have been in Ningbo, in Zhejiang province, and Shanghai to attract Chinese business partners and shipping companies, and they have more visits planned to other Chinese port cities this year, the China Daily reports. Luc Arnouts, its Chief Commercial Officer, said he aims to attract Chinese interest to a city which is considered an ideal springboard to Europe. He said that 60% of European purchasing power is located within a 500 kilometer radius of Antwerp, and the port is highly cost-efficient compared to other European sites. Another highlight of his pitch to potential Chinese business partners is that Antwerp is serviced by one of the longest navigation channels in Europe, at 100 kilometers, enabling it to receive the very largest container vessels. He said Chinese investors are being invited to participate in all the projects being planned at the port, including new logistics, loading and downloading services. However, despite having more than 900 companies operating in the port area, only a handful are Chinese, including China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co and a few logistics companies. Arnouts said the port is perfectly located to handle goods destined for France and Germany, particularly.
“We are always correcting the wrong impression that we are a port in a small country, Belgium. In fact, we are the second-biggest European port,” said Arnouts. “This is very important for Chinese commercial decision makers, and we visit here three times a year to reinforce this message.” The main goods being shipped between China and Antwerp are containerized freight, metal products and chemicals. In the opposite direction are shipped containerized freight, ore and recycled metal, and petroleum products. Arnouts said that by 2025, about €1.6 billion is expected to have been invested in the expansion of Antwerp port, building its capacity on three fronts: cargo handling, logistics and general industrial facilities. Marc Van Peel, Authority Chairman and Vice Mayor of Antwerp, said trade between the city and China had expanded rapidly in recent years, and official figures show China is now its fourth-largest trading partner, contributing about 5% of Belgium’s economy. He added that the port has also become a learning hub for Chinese port management staff, with more than 3,000 going through training in Antwerp over the years, the China Daily reports.
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