Posted on March 17, 2021
The Europa Terminal at the Port of Antwerp will be upgraded to enable it to handle the largest container vessels.
To enable sustainable growth and boost the port’s overall container capacity, the Port of Antwerp is planning to deepen the Europa Terminal’s quay wall in coordination with PSA Antwerp, the operator of the terminal. The current quay wall, with a length of almost 1200m, will be demolished and replaced by a new one.
Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO at the Port of Antwerp, said: “Containers are the most important segment at our port and a growth segment in the world, our yearly figures in 2020 prove this once again. And the trend towards more containers for transporting goods will only continue. This deepening is in line with our ambition to continue to grow as a port in a sustainable way and will contribute towards maintaining our position as a world port.”
Jan Van Mossevelde, MD of PSA Antwerp, stated: “Thanks to this deepening, the Europa Terminal will join the league of mega-vessel ready container terminals. This major investment meets the needs of the major shipping alliances. When the works are completed, we’ll be able to handle 2 megamax ships simultaneously at a brand new and innovative terminal.”
16m draught
The Europa Terminal began operating in 1990 as the first tidal container terminal at the Port of Antwerp. The current maximum draught for vessels that can moor at the quay wall is 13.5m. The depth of the terminal will be brought in line with the maximum draught of approximately 16m at inlet.
In order to limit the operational impact, the works will be carried out in three phases. This allows a large part of the terminal to remain operational 24/7, while another part of the capacity is diverted to PSA’s Noordzee Terminal. The works are expected to start at the end of 2021.
PSA Antwerp is responsible for the renovation of the layout of the adjacent front quay, including new flooring and the installation of large container cranes.
The quay wall will be equipped with infrastructure measures to enable implementation of shore power. An underwater dam will protect the nearby Galgenschoor nature reserve.
