Sisterports Zeebrugge and Hakata celebrate 15 years of cooperation
The Zeebrugge port authority is receiving an important Japanese delegation from the port of Hakata on 1 August 2014. It’s been fifteen years since the ports signed a trade enhancement agreement, the company said in its press release.
During their visit to the port of Zeebrugge the delegation will visit the inner and outer port, guided by Zeebrugge’s Japanese representative, Mr. Chisato Watanabe. Later, they will also visit some companies, including the Bridgestone terminal.
A celebration of the 15 years of cooperation will take place tonight in Bruges. “As global trade equals maritime transportation and both ports are gateways into Europe and Japan, we see it as a strategic task to share experience, which we have done for 15 years now. In addition, the partnership agreement gives the trade between the two ports a further boost.”, says Joachim Coens, CEO Port of Zeebrugge.
Many of Zeebrugge’s port clients will be present during the celebration. For more than 20 years, the port of Zeebrugge has kept close ties with Japan. The Japanese investments in Zeebrugge are thick-set. There are Japanese shipping companies active in Zeebrugge, Japanese interests in Zeebrugge stevedores and Japanese plants: Toyota, NYK, Toyofuji, Mitsui, K Line, KESS, UECC, Bridgestone, Sumitomo, Meiko, Daikin, AGC Glass, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Suzuki, Nissan, etc.
The port of Zeebrugge also has a sister port agreement with the port of Nagoya in Japan. Click here to see with which ports Zeebrugge also works closely together.
