APM Terminals opens Zeebrugge terminal
APM Terminals chief operating officer Peder Sondergaard said that the new terminal is an important strategic investment in building the European container port infrastructure necessary to handle the global container trade, which is currently growing at 8% per year.
The Zeebrugge multi-user facility is an attractive option for shipping lines with its 16 metre deepwater draft and fast access to the main shipping lanes. Unlike some other ports, there are no locks or rivers to transit. Equally important, the terminal adds container terminal capacity at the mouth of the river Schelde.
Inland connections via road, rail and barge are designed to move cargo efficiently to the final destinations in Belgium and Europe. The facility has seven postpanamax gantry cranes and a fully automated gate for trucks.
APM Terminals has signed an agreement to sell 40% of its Zeebrugge shares to Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG). The agreement reflects APM Terminals’ growing partnership with SIPG – considered the largest port operator in China.
