The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Search on for Antwerp breakbulk dock candidate

(Posted on 01/10/20)

The Churchill Dock, located in the middle of the Port of Antwerp, is set to become a fully-fledged ‘Breakbulk Dock’. On the south side of this dock, a water-linked concession is due for release, with Port of Antwerp resolutely opting to develop general cargo activities there. In doing so, the port is showing that, despite the pressure on this segment due to global trade problems and the coronavirus crisis, breakbulk remains an absolute priority and that it aims to continue supporting this.

The area around the Churchill Dock has historically grown into one of the most important sites for breakbulk terminals at the port. The concession in question, located in the middle of existing breakbulk activities, is 15 hectares in size with multi-modal accessibility, including direct access to the European road, rail and inland waterway networks. As a result, breakbulk goods find their way quickly and reliably from European production and consumption centres to all corners of the world and vice versa.

Numerous logistics players offer various services at this location, with a high added value tailored to the customer. For example, there are service providers for the handling, assembly, quality control, packaging and storage of general cargo. This wide range of value-added services ensures that the goods are processed according to the end customer's wishes without excessive transport and handling costs.

Shipping breakbulk, such as steel, project cargo and forest products, requires a product-specific approach: no shipment is identical. Thanks to its can-do attitude and the extensive experience of its many service providers, the port of Antwerp is able to ship almost 9 million tons of conventional breakbulk every year, with an eye for quality.

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO at Port of Antwerp said, “Antwerp has been the breakbulk port par excellence in Europe for many centuries. As a result, we have all the quality, experience and flexibility in-house to provide solutions tailored to the customer's needs. Breakbulk generates a high added value in our port's portfolio, so it's crucial that we continue to highlight these goods.”

Port alderman Annick De Ridder said, “Breakbulk is in the DNA of the port of Antwerp and remains an absolute priority. Despite trading difficulties and the economic slowdown, breakbulk remains one of our six commercial pillars. The transhipment and production of breakbulk continues unabated, thanks to the efforts of our breakbulk community that is committed to quality, experience and flexibility on a daily basis. I can't stress enough how enormously grateful I am to them, they make Port of Antwerp the home port of breakbulk.”