North Sea Port and Promotion Council North Sea Port will be in attendance at various events and trade shows. Below you’ll fnd a snapshot of the upcoming events that might be of interest to you.
Farewell
This is my fnal welcome. At the end of this year, I will step down as chairman of Promotion Council North Sea Port. After nearly thirteen years, the time has come to pass on the torch.
Aware that all things must come to an end, I bid farewell to the promotion council with a touch of nostalgia. However, I look back on a fantastic time as chairman of this vibrant and growing association of maritime logistics sector companies and port representatives. Our sector is extraordinarily dynamic and internationally oriented, which made working for it especially appealing to me.
I began in 2012 as chairman of the former Zeeland Port Promotion Council. After the merger of the ports of Zeeland and Ghent in 2018, the promotion council crossed the border as the Promotion Council North Sea Port, also welcoming companies from Ghent into the existing port network and its promotional activities. And not without success; I am pleased to see that this step has contributed to the steady growth in membership. Currently, the council has 220 members.
The growth of the port network and expansion of the operating area bring new challenges for the direction of the promotion council, the programme content, location selection for events, and more. Recently, the board addressed these aspects in the document ‘Mission Vision Strategy 2025-2028’.
The foundation of the promotion council remains the port network, connecting and uniting as many North Sea Port stakeholders as possible. From this foundation, we continue to promote North Sea Port as an attractive gateway to Northwestern Europe, a multimodal port offering all necessary logistics and maritime facilities, as a port that provides space, and as the congestion-free alternative to neighbouring seaports.
For the past thirteen years, I have had the pleasure of contributing to the growth and development of the promotion council. Although I am stepping down as an active participant, I will certainly continue to follow the council with great interest as an observer.
All the best to you all!
With kind regards,
Henk de Haas, chairman of Promotion Council North Sea Port
Emphasising the role of ports in the industrial transition and energy value chains
North Sea Port present at COP29
From 11 to 22 November, the international climate conference COP29 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan. For the frst time, North Sea Port participated as a member of the offcial Belgian delegation and coorganised a side-event in the Benelux-EIB Pavillion together with partners Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Elia Group, and Fluxys. The event dived right into the topics of the energy and industrial transition, in which CEO Daan Schalck emphasised the role which ports play and the importance of cross-border energy infrastructure.
COP29 stands for the 29th Conference of the Parties under the United Nations climate organisation (UNFCCC), also known as the ’international climate summit’. During this annual summit, governments gather to take steps to mitigate the climate crisis and work towards the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC of pre-industrial levels (as agreed in the Paris Agreement). The conference is essential for making global agreements and securing climate fnance. However, time is pressing as recent UNFCCC reports show that the world is not on track to stay within the Paris Agreement and global warming is increasing.
A vital COP29 in more diffcult geopolitical times
“This year,” Dr Louise De Tremerie, lead on European affairs at North Sea Port and in charge of the North Sea Port COP participation, explains, “the discussion at COP continued where COP28 left off and focused on setting new climate fnance goals, but also on the need for more ambitious national climate plans and on implementing adaptation plans for countries most affected by climate change. This is set against a backdrop of geopolitical shifts. It’s important to understand that decisions at every COP are made by consensus, which on a global scale
is not straightforward. Yet, also many parallel initiatives and pledges between different stakeholders are launched at COP. An example of such an initiative with direct implementation in our port is for example the ‘Clydebank Declaration’ on green corridors at COP26 (Glasgow) in 2021. This pledge laid the foundation for North Sea Port’s initiative together with the Port of Gothenburg and DFDS for our BE-SE Green Corridor. Now, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges are signed and on board.”
COP29: Climate Financing
Several important decisions were made at COP29. “One of this year’s top priorities,” Louise De Tremerie says, “was setting a new long-term goal for international climate fnance, the New Collective Quantifed Goal (NCQG). The previous goal was to mobilise USD100 billion annually for climate action in developing countries from 2020 onwards. There were also discussions on new national climate goals, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). By 2025, all countries must submit these targets for 2035; the EU submitted a single joint NDC. The same applies to the National Adaptation Plans, which must be completed by the frst quarter of 2025.”1
A major point of tension is that wealthy nations are demanding more ambitious mitigation plans from the rest of the world, particularly from countries with relatively high emissions. Meanwhile, developing countries want progress on funding for climate fnance, especially with a view to fnancing the adaptation plans. But there was more to be discussed in Azerbaijan. “Since the Paris Agreement,” Louise De Tremerie elaborates, “the world has changed. Think of the increased geopolitical tension, the Infation Reduction Act, the Chinese and global trade developments, COVID-19, increasingly severe effects of climate change, and other (non)political developments. In Europe, the Green Deal still stands, but is now complemented with a dedicated portfolio on industrial competitiveness and strategic autonomy, which could affect Europe’s open trade strategy. Now, Europe will have to deliver on strengthening its energy transition and industrial competitiveness while also keeping track of climate change.”
1 Everything about COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan: What is it and what will happen? — Simavi | Powerful women, healthy societies | Africa and Asia.
What is the UNFCCC?
The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) is an international treaty that began in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The goal of the UNFCCC is to combat global warming and reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. The treaty forms the basis for international climate conferences, such as the annual COPs.
COP is the abbreviation for the Conference of the Parties, i.e., the conference of the parties that have signed the UNFCCC treaty. Since 1995, countries have met annually to work on climate policy. The Paris Agreement of 2015, which aimed to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, is a key outcome of previous COPs. The Paris Agreement is based on three pillars: mitigation (reducing emissions), adaptation (adjusting to climate change), and fnancing (support from wealthy countries for poorer nations).
Visibility at COP, ftting a top European port
For the frst time in 29 years, North Sea Port was present at the COP, invited by Belgium, to participate and organise an event in the Benelux-EIB pavilion (EIB = European Investment Bank). The COP is divided into different zones, based on the different activities taking place in each part. The Blue Zone is the offcial zone where the formal climate negotiations take place and is only accessible to accredited delegations such as member states and their delegations, observers, UN organisations and accredited NGOs. In the Green Zone, more organisations not part of the accredited delegation gather to share and network around sustainability initiatives. Louise De Tremerie refects with enthusiasm, “Being able to represent our port in the Blue Zone, gave us the opportunity to network with many global actors, participate in interesting sessions and share our own insights on ongoing projects related to energy value chains as well
CEO of North Sea Port Daan Schalck was present at COP29 together with members of his public affairs team. On the left Edwin Evenhuis with next to him Louise De Tremerie. On the right, next to Daan Schalck, stands Isabelle Van Vooren.
as infrastructure investments. This includes, for example, the projects in offshore wind, low-carbon and green H2 production, CCUS, and H2/CO2 pipelines, thereby creating visibility for our port and region. As a cross-border port, we shared our own story of collaboration and the lessons learned related to crossborder cooperation. It is clear from a global climate perspective: cooperation is key to keeping the Paris Agreement alive.”
Emphasising the role of ports
At the Benelux-EIB Pavillion, North Sea Port was present together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Fluxys, and Elia Group. Together, they informed the visiting delegates about their joint contribution to the energy transition and highlighted some of the projects currently being built and taking place. “Ports are moving beyond the typical nautical landlord role, where North Sea Port with its strong industrial cluster plays an important facilitating and connector role in the current energy transition,” Louise De Tremerie explains. “In the upcoming years, this role will become even bigger with all the initiatives that are taken by existing and new companies in our port area, and as our own initiatives as a port authority. Of course, we were very eager to accept the invitation and accreditation for this important event, not least because the COP29 was much smaller in national delegation sizes than previous events, so the number of organisations to be accredited for the Blue Zone was limited. Being present at COP29 confrms that we are gaining visibility as a top European port.”
Show the world
To realise the energy and industrial transition, collaboration is key, according to Louise De Tremerie. “Being present at
From left to right: Tom Hautekiet, CCO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Daan Schalck, CEO of North Sea Port, Philip Julien, chairman at Kenesjay Green Limited, and Pavan Chiukuri, vice president at CCUS Holcim.
The Belgian Ambassador Julien de Fraipont welcomed the delegates and guests at the informal dinner.
To meet the challenges and to act on the opportunities, working together with the network and transmission operators, industrial actors as well as with other ports in a cross-border collaboration is inevitable.
COP29 together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Elia Group and Fluxys, gives a clear signal and shows how important collaboration and working together across the value chain is for all of us,” she says. “To meet the challenges and to act on the opportunities, working together with the network and transmission operators, industrial actors as well as with other ports in a cross-border collaboration is inevitable. For us, this goes beyond the Benelux. This is why we already have joined forces with ports in other European countries to contribute to a greener economy. With the many existing initiatives in the feld of sustainability, and the plans for the near future in which we, and the port companies play a role, North Sea Port is a good example for the rest of Europe and COP29 gave us the chance to share our insights on these collaborations with the world.”
Obstacles
Louise De Tremerie continues, “We have explained by mentioning concrete projects that the role of ports is relevant for the energy and industrial transition, and that the energy hub function of our port becomes more and more important. We have also highlighted some of the challenges there are in this matter, especially related to taking FID investment decisions in projects. There may be many plans, but to actually realise them in practice takes time as there are many obstacles that need to be overcome. Financing and achieving a competitive business case together with permitting are often considered as the main obstacles. Interestingly, how to mobilise suffcient private and public funding for the energy transition was a much discussed topic at COP29. This also counts for the projects in our port. For example, for being a successful energy hub, big investments are necessary for the realisation of new pipelines and cables and fnding the money for this can be challenging. In that sense, North Sea Port could take home insights and lessons learned from other countries and their projects in the energy transition during events at COP29. Being present at COP29 we were able to participate in sessions by other countries and listen to how they deal with the energy transition and what solutions other parties apply. This way, it was also a good event to learn from each other and exchange best practices.”
A success
For North Sea Port, the focus of COP29 lay on 15 November, the so-called Energy Day. On this day, North Sea Port coorganised a side-event on the energy and industrial transition together with the Port of Antwerp Bruges, Elia Group and Fluxys in the Benelux EIB-Pavilion. The title2 of the side-event called for collaboration across countries and stakeholders.
2 Title side-event: Developing infrastructure to ensure access to clean and affordable energy: the need for collaboration across countries and stakeholders.
The overarching message given to the participants was that partnerships among stakeholders along the value chain is key. Louise De Tremerie elaborates, “A clean and competitive energy transition needs to be built on access to abundant and affordable energy. Many emerging clean technologies, as well as industrial decarbonisation, are elusive without it. And modern infrastructure is the indispensable link between the two, in which ports are pivotal. The development of international energy value chains will be key for Europe’s industry to have suffcient access to decarbonised electrons, molecules and – in case of CCS – CO2 storage sites.” She continues, “We were very pleased that Belgium’s federal minister of energy gave the opening key-note and with the high level representation in our two panels that resulted in insightful discussions on the key challenges and opportunities for the energy and industrial transition, under the expert leadership of our moderator Ana Rovzar.” Pavan Chiukuri, vice president at CCUS Holcim, Raphael De Winter, senior vice-president business development and M&A Fluxys Group, and Daan Schalck, CEO of North Sea Port participated in the frst panel which highlighted the role of molecules and pipeline infrastructure. CEO Daan Schalck emphasised the collaborative approach during this panel, leaning on the lessons learned from the cross-border experience of North Sea Port. The second panel included speakers Juan Pedro Searle Solar, head of climate change ministry of energy of Chile, Tom Hautekiet, CCO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Catherine Vandenborre, CEO of Elia Group, where electrifcation, electrons and the necessary raw materials were highlighted. “We continued our discussions informally in the evening at our sponsored dinner in partnership with the Belgian Ambassy, where Ambassador Julien de Fraipont welcomed the delegates and guests.”
This article is scheduled to go to print very close to the conclusion of the event. As such, it is too soon to list all the outcomes in detail. However, for Louise De Tremerie, being present at COP29 was a success even before the event took place. “North Sea Port demonstrated itself as a cross-border port with clear ambitions as a Top European port. Now, with our presence and side-event at COP29 we showed that, together with the industry and all other parties involved, we are well under way to achieve this ambition. Not just from an economic point of view, but also when looking at our efforts towards the energy transition,” she concludes.
I. NORTHSEAPORT.COM
An exciting step forward for Draftec
Joining the WIND Group
In July of this year, it was announced that the Middelburg based company Draftec had joined the Wind Group. According to Draftec founder, Martijn Boone, this was an exciting step towards the company’s goal of being a worldwide innovative equipment supplier.
Draftec is an engineering and manufacturing business founded in 2009 by Martijn Boone and joined by Martijn Holtkamp in 2015. Over the years, the company has grown into a specialist system integrator and manufacturer of a variety of customdesigned, multi-disciplinary systems, and mission equipment for sectors including offshore wind, marine & dredging, and heavy lifting. The company offers a comprehensive service covering everything from engineering to realisation and maintenance. In 2016, Draftec and Michel Schouwenaar established Scaldon Cranes, as a branch specialising in the design, manufacturing and servicing of cranes for vessels and offshore wind turbines.
Growth not without risks
“Since we started Draftec in 2009,” Martijn Boone explains, “the company has witnessed continuous growth. Throughout the years, our customer base grew, resulting in more and bigger projects. Because of this, our organisation grew as well. We had to move to our current location in Middelburg, and recently we expanded our premises. For the upcoming years our ambition is to further expand internationally on a global scale. At a certain point, Martijn Holtkamp and I were talking about this future and our role in this. Basically, we are both hands on technicians. However, because of our organisational growth we became more and more involved in managerial roles, something we both
Because of the ongoing growth, Draftec moved to Middelburg and recently expanded its facilties over there.
knew, was not where our true strengths lie. Also, because of the growth of the assignments, our fnancial risks became bigger. To remain a healthy and future proof company, we needed to change things, and we discussed various options, such as hiring a management board or an incorporation into a bigger group.”
A lot in common
Martijn Boone continues, “WIND Group provides full-service solutions for transport, handling, and storage of subsea cables and fexibles, and subsea cable recovery. It has a worldwide client base including subsea cable manufacturers, subsea installation companies, EPIC contractors, and utility companies. A while ago, WIND contacted us for the design and construction of equipment for them. I will explain about this equipment further on. For this order, they wanted exclusivity, meaning that we could only sell this equipment to them. This was something we did not want but we kept on talking with
Over the years, Draftec has grown into a specialist system integrator and manufacturer of a variety of custom-designed, multi-disciplinary systems, and mission equipment for sectors including offshore wind, marine & dredging, and heavy lifting.
each other about how to deal with this and in doing so, we both discovered that we have a lot of mutual large customers, such as Van Oord, DEME and Boskalis, but our services are complimentary rather than competitive. So, we realised that we could beneft from each other in a way that was positive for both companies. Also, we found out that we and the management team of WIND Group have a lot in common. So, in the end we concluded that both companies ft well together, and we decided to sell part of our shares to WIND and in return become a partial shareholder in the WIND Group.”
Draftec service hubs
“Becoming a member of the WIND Group has many advantages both for them and for us,” Martijn Boone elaborates. “First all, WIND Group has several service hubs all
over the world. With these hubs they logistically facilitate cable manufacturers as well as contractors and wind farm owners. We are going to establish service hubs at every WIND Group location. Here, we can offer all kind of services to our and WIND’s customers. This will make our international ambitions much easier to realise. Apart from this, becoming a member of a large group is also interesting for our staff, as it will enlarge their options to further develop their careers. For WIND, it means that they have our services for their customers in-house, which broadens the range of services towards their customers. Ørsted for example is using WIND hubs and now, because of becoming a member of the WIND Group, we are a preferred supplier of this company, too. We have already opened a hub in the Amsterdam port area at WIND’s terminal there, where we can now mobilise vessels with our equipment. More hubs will follow soon.”
Martijn Boone (left) and Martijn Holtkamp (right), owners of Draftec.
Innovative cable loading
Apart from organising Draftec hubs at WIND locations, Draftec has more to offer according to Martijn Boone. “The aforementioned project WIND was asking exclusivity for will now be implemented. It has to deal with the loading of subsea cables to vessels,” he says. “For this loading, the WIND terminals are equipped with various tools, such as tensioners and carrousels. Loading cables sounds an easy job, however, it is a very accurate and potentially risky operation because of the forces that work on the cables during loading, caused by weight and speed. Keeping an eye on this, remains a task that requires human input. By contrast, at sea these kind of operations are controlled automatically using cameras and sensors, with which we have ample experience from previous offshore projects. With this experience we are now, together with WIND, developing systems to automise the entire process. In the end, with the push of a single button, a vessel at the terminal of WIND will be automatically loaded with the necessary cables and the entire operation will be monitored automatically with sensors and cameras. This means that people only have to keep an eye on things from a safe distance. This innovative way of working is not limited to loading vessels. Currently, we have a project running at an Asian cable factory where we are automating the loading of cables from the factory on carrousels. This project is a good example of how we can use our knowledge and innovative solutions to expand our market from offshore projects to the shore, something which WIND, and we at Draftec, are very proud of.”
Scaldon moves to Vlissingen
Draftec’s crane branch Scaldon is not part of the merger with WIND Group. “Our branch Scaldon designs, constructs and maintains small scale cranes,” Martijn Boone elaborates. “This does not really ft in WIND Group’s portfolio, but it is a business that is running well and Michel Schouwenaar and we are really fond of it. Therefore, we decided to stay at the helm of this company as co-owners. Since the start, the company has built a solid track record with many renowned customers, such as ship owners and offshore wind farm operators. Because of this Scaldon is growing fast, meaning that the space they are using at our factory in Middelburg is becoming scarce. And, because of this, the expansion of Scaldon is more or less hindering the space Draftec needs for further growth when looking at square metres. Therefore, we are planning to build a new factory for Scaldon in the Binnenhaven at Vlissingen, where we have leased a plot of land from the municipality. Of course, starting at a new location takes a lot of preparation, but we hope to be able to start construction of the new factory somewhere in 2025. So, all together, Martijn Holtkamp and I, together with all our colleagues at Draftec and Scaldon, are now experiencing an exciting period, with a lot of new and challenging things going on. We are really looking forward to, together with them, and with everyone at the WIND Group, realising our plans for further growth.”
I. DRAFTEC.NL
Draftec tensioner. For the upcoming years Draftec’s ambition is to further expand internationally on a global scale.
Image courtesy of Draftec.
Getting off the ground
Clarksons arrives in North Sea Port with new Vlissingen offce
There are some new faces in North Sea Port after international shipping service provider Clarksons Port Services opened a new offce recently in Vlissingen. From its new base, the company is poised to offer a range of port services to support the offshore energy sector. Primarily, Clarksons’ activities will focus on the growing number of offshore wind farm construction projects taking place on both sides of the North Sea.
All images courtesy of Clarksons.
The story of how Clarksons came to open its Vlissingen offce is not a recent one. To get to the roots of the matter, we have to go back to 1997. It was then that Wim Schouwenaar began his company Den Helder Support Services (DHSS).
From its base in the North Holland port, the company provided port and ships agency, helicopter services, logistics, warehousing and customs clearance support for the oil & gas operators active in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.
Growing in the wind
For two decades, the company ticked along very nicely until, in 2017 the offshore wind sector got off the ground, providing the company with an opportunity for growth. Sensing the potential presented by the emerging sector, Wim, together with his colleague, commercial director Tonnie Schuijl oversaw the creation of a new location in Eemshaven.
Pretty soon, DHSS had made a name for itself in the offshore wind arena and was working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Companies such as Vestas, Siemens, RWE, TenneT and Jan de Nul were conducting their wind operations out of the northern Netherlands port.
It wasn’t long before the service provider was on the move
Tonnie Schuijl, commercial director at Clarksons Port Services.
Coming to North Sea Port, was very much about looking beyond the here and now. This is a move that positions us well for the future.
again, opening another location to support wind farm operations and maintenance from the Port of IJmuiden.
Teaming up
Then, on 6th February 2023, the company merged with Clarksons Port Services. It was, says Tonnie Schuijl, a logical move, of mutual beneft.
“We were both offering a similar range of port services, so the common ground for collaboration was there. For us, partnering with Clarksons provides us with a chance to grow beyond our traditional area of operation in the Netherlands. We’re seeing some interesting potential in the Baltic and further afeld.
“For Clarksons, teaming up offered the beneft of expanding knowledge and experience of value added services like helicopter logistics for the offshore renewable sector, as well as easier access to mainland Europe following the Brexit.”
Strength to strength
The acquisition does represent quite a change for the Dutch team, says Tonnie Schuijl.
“We’re not working with 60 people any more, but with over 2,000 professionals, operating from locations all over the world.”
However, after almost two years, he says, the relationship is going from strength to strength, with Clarksons investing substantially in the development of the Dutch operations.
This includes the recent opening of a new extra facility in Eemshaven with 20 offces and 2ha of storage space – the Offshore Energy Logistics Business Centre.
Paving the way
Becoming part of Clarksons also paved the way for the opening of the new location in Vlissingen.
“Some of our clients were asking us ‘when are you going to open a location in North Sea Port’,” Tonnie Schuijl says.
“We could see the attraction. With a number of key industry players, and open access to the water, Vlissingen is an ideally situated location from which to serve forthcoming North Sea renewable projects – including cross border projects like Belgium and the UK where there is going to be an increase of activities in the coming years. Coming to Vlissingen, was very much about looking beyond the here and now. This is a move that positions us well for the future.”
Space: the route to new frontiers
In addition to the presence of numerous sector specialists and direct access to open sea, the North Sea Port location offers a further beneft for Clarksons and its clients.
“We see a lot of opportunities here,” Tonnie Schuijl states.
“Among others there is space available for extension of the port infrastructure, highly required by the growing offshore renewable energy sector. For example for the handling and storage of cables – and the knowledge and skills to oversee it. And, given the location and draught, the possibility to create a marshalling logistics hub for (large) components.
To work towards those goals, Clarksons will be actively looking to build relationships with the other operators in the port. In the coming time, Tonnie, who is based out of the company’s Eemshaven location, will hand over the running of the Vlissingen offce to more locally-based colleagues, including a new agency operator who is due to begin soon.
Great mindset
“I’m already familiar with a lot of people and companies locally, a network built up by years of working in the sector. I’ll be looking to connect, or reconnect with people in the port during the coming period to explore the opportunities together with the local port community. After undergoing onboarding training, our new colleague will be starting here in Vlissingen, together with an existing colleague in account management. I’m looking forward to introducing our new team to the people here in the port.
“Having already spoken to some of the companies, and some investors in the port, I’m very impressed and very optimistic about the future. There are a lot of good ideas here and a great mindset. Port players here seem to be very forward thinking. I think that there are plenty of opportunities for us to grow in the years ahead, together with the other businesses in the port.”
With a number of key industry players, and open access to the water, Vlissingen is an ideally situated location from which to serve forthcoming North Sea renewable projects.
Teamwork and innovation
The company Shell began life in London in 1833 when antiques shop owner Marcus Samuel decided to start selling oriental seashells. When his sons took over, they became interested in the oil-exporting business, and history unfolded.
Today, Shell is one of the largest energy and petrochemical companies in the world, with operations in more than 70 countries. North Sea Port is proud to house two Shell plants in Ghent: Catalysts & Technologies and the Belgian Shell Ghent Manufacturing Plant. The latter is now preparing its plant for the future with two exciting projects: a new pilot line and a fully automated warehouse.
Lubricants and greases
“The manufacturing plant in the Pantserschipstraat is part of Belgian Shell, with its headquarters in Brussels,” says Raquel Gomez, supply hub manager Ghent of Belgian Shell. “It is from Brussels that the well-known Shell fuels are distributed. Our plant in Ghent (North Sea Port) specialises in the production of greases for a variety of applications and businesses. Much of our production is used in the steel industry, the automotive and railway sector, but also, for example, in wind turbines.”
“The usage of our greases is very widespread,” she adds.
“Any device with moving metal parts will need grease. You can recognise our product by its name: if it starts with “GADUS”, it was produced here in North Sea Port. However, in a lot of cases, you won’t even know that a device contains Shell grease, in fact, almost everyone has one or more products at home in which our grease is used. Think about ball bearings inside drilling machines, for instance. One of our customers
All images courtesy of Shell.
produces ball bearings and uses Shell grease. The ball bearings are then sold to various customers and are used in many different devices. For this reason, we cannot accurately know in which brands our product is used but it’s fun to think about how widespread it is. And precisely because the greases are used on the inside of products, many of them have to be made to last for the entire lifespan of the product. Think about the grease which is used in a car window, for example. This is placed in the car door and has to last for the entire lifespan of the car. This is why quality is our top priority, together with the safety of our people in our plant.”
Expertise and commitment
“Indeed, I believe that we distinguish ourselves in the lubricants and grease market by the superior quality of our products,” Raquel Gomez states. “It is our philosophy to strive for the highest quality, but it is also necessary for some of the industries we supply. Greases used in the steel industry, for instance, have to be able to withstand extremely high temperatures. Using inferior grease would in this case cause severe safety hazards. We always have to be on our toes and produce the best possible quality. Our customers confrm that Shell really stands out in terms of quality.”
“However, we stand out only because of the expertise and dedication of our people. We have an incredibly strong team of whom we are immensely proud. These are not easy products to work with, it’s pure chemistry and absolute craftsmanship. We supply so many different industries and therefore have so many products, all with their own set of parameters and specifcations to adhere to. We are so fortunate with our committed team that handles all these products expertly.”
Worldwide distribution
The greases produced in North Sea Port are shipped worldwide. Raquel Gomez explains: “The products from our plant are transported by truck to large distribution centres in France and Germany. From there, they are shipped to our customers. Some 75% of what is produced here is shipped within Europe and 25% is exported to other countries worldwide. However, our manufacturing plant will soon expand its activities as it will become a distribution centre, beneftting from our convenient location in North Sea Port. We will initially ship to customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. To this end, we are turning our storage warehouse into a fully automated warehouse.”
Automated warehouse
“Up until now, we did not use the full capacity of the storage warehouse. This warehouse was built over 30 years ago and needed renovation. Shell decided therefore to renew and
Belgian Shell GMP’s new pilot plant will be taken into service by January 2025. It operates CO2 neutral.
Belgian Shell GMP’s new pilot line is nearly identical to their larger installation but can manufacture much smaller batches, of up to 1,000kgs.
Raquel Gomez, supply hub manager Ghent of Belgian Shell.
expand the entire installation, to be able to use the warehouse at full capacity and transform it into a fully automated location. This automated warehouse will be fully operational as of January 2025, but two of the cranes have already been renewed. There are fve cranes in total which are renewed one at a time, so as not to lose too much storage capacity. These two new cranes enabled us to start distributing to customers in the Netherlands in November.”
CO2-neutral
“Sustainability is part of Shell’s DNA,” says Raquel Gomez. “Shell’s global goal is to be fully CO2-neutral by 2050 or, if possible, sooner. For our manufacturing plant in Ghent, this translates mostly into transitions in our energy supply. Our automated warehouse works on solar panels. The roof of another warehouse is currently being renovated, enabling us to install solar panels there as well. For the electricity we take from the grid, we have a green-labelled contract – and certifcate – with our energy supplier. This means that we only
take electricity produced by wind turbines from the grid. And we have major investments planned for the future as we will electrify our entire heating installations. We are already buying steam from neighbouring companies to heat our kettles, and by 2035 all of the installations will be adapted for electricity or will have a green production source. At that time, our plant should be entirely CO2-neutral. Incidentally, our new pilot plant is already CO2-neutral.”
A new pilot line
Raquel Gomez explains: “Our production process is batchbased. We produce fxed quantity batches of 2.5t to 8t of one product variant before switching to another output. This means that, whenever we want to innovate, experiment with our product or even create a new product, we have to produce this large volume, or even three batches of this large volume to have reference material. That’s just not very cost-effcient as it interrupts normal production and requires a lot of raw materials. Furthermore, the entire installation has to be cleansed between each product variant, so it’s an operational nightmare to test innovations. A study carried out three years ago investigated the time it took us from learning about a new product requirement to having the adapted product in the market. We found it was a slow process, too slow. This is why we are currently building our new pilot line.
“This pilot line is a smaller reproduction of our production lines. It’s nearly identical to our larger installation but can manufacture much smaller batches of up to 1,000kgs. This new line will be operational as of January 2025, and it will boost our innovation process immensely. It will allow us to effectively respond to future market demands as we will get new products to our customers much quicker. And we will be able to continuously test new ideas, improve our products and innovate, which after all is part of our company’s DNA.”
I. SHELL.BE
Belgian Shell grease plant in North Sea Port.
New shuttle car.
RVO, the helping hand in exports
One of the tasks of the port authority of North Sea Port is to promote the port and help the many companies in it to expand their business. For this reason it, for example, participates in exhibitions and trade missions, in which companies in the port area can join. These missions are often organised by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).
RVO helps entrepreneurs and organisations to invest, develop and expand their businesses and projects, both in the Netherlands and abroad. It is a government agency which is part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. RVO supports entrepreneurs, NGOs, knowledge institutes, policymakers, and organisations. It improves collaborations and strengthens positions through funding and networks, and by providing valuable insights and relevant guidance.
Global network
With its extensive global network, RVO assists companies with their export plans. To fnd the right market opportunities,
RVO organises all kinds of conferences and trade missions to major international exhibitions. Also, companies can participate in various workshops, events, courses, training sessions and webinars. Apart from this, companies can ask RVO for tailormade support.
PortNews talks with Gazizah Bahmany, business development manager Middle East/team coordinator business development at RVO, and Finn van Naamen, country advisor at RVO.
Demand based advise
“Many companies know RVO, but they don’t always know that they can turn to us for tailormade support in international
Image courtesy of Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During trade missions, the participants can meet with various relevant stakeholders and learn more about the country and its way of doing business and the opportunities it has to offer.
expansion,” Finn van Naamen explains. “RVO offers a great starting point for companies looking to expand abroad. We advise individual companies that contact us about how to successfully export their services and products. In this case, we work based on demand. During a free consultation, a company can present its questions and based on this, the advisor will look at which next steps can be best supported. We assist in, among other things:
• tailored country information from country comparisons to market exploration;
• customised business partner support in which we, together with the company, look at the best ways to connect with suitable distributors, agents, or production partners;
• information on subsidies and fnancing opportunities;
• information on legislation, export regulations, and product requirements.
It is important to realise as well that all of our services are free of charge to Dutch companies.”
Finn van Naamen continues, “Many companies that contact us have plans to export their products or services when the Dutch market becomes too small for them. Often, these companies do not know exactly where to start. What opportunities actually exist? What countries are most interesting? How large is a market exactly? What rules and regulations count for a certain country? Are there any subsidies and funding available for fnancing the export plans? Sometimes, a company already has a clear idea about what country it wants to export to, but is looking for more specifc information about, for example, export
or product requirements or how to set up a local business. To help answer all of these questions, we arrange a (video) call with one of our country advisors for personal advice.” Gazizah Bahmany adds, “Many people do not know about the many services RVO can deliver. There are, for example, various subsidies available. Suppose someone has developed an innovative solution. For this, RVO has a so-called demonstration project1 subsidy, in order to help them convince local buyers that it works under the local circumstances abroad. Also, there are various ways to get a subsidy for companies who are willing to make their frst steps in a foreign market2. Our advisors can inform companies about all the options.”
1 For more information: rvo.nl/dhi; or english.rvo.nl/subsidies-fnancing/dhi
2 For more information: www.rvo.nl/sib; or english.rvo.nl/subsidiesfnancing/sib
Gazizah Bahmany, business development manager Middle East/team coordinator business development at RVO.
Image courtesy of Lineage Logistics.
Trade mission and international exhibitions joined by North Sea Port in 2024
Trade missions:
– Spain (RVO)
– Norway (Belgian economic mission)
– Brazil (Belgian economic mission)
– Sweden and Finland (RVO)
– COP29, Azerbaijan
Exhibitions
– Multimodaal Transport Expo
– World Hydrogen Summit
– Breakbulk Europe
– Transport & Logistics Gent
– Annual Meeting European Petrochemical Association
– Top Transport Europe
– Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference
– European Commodities Exchange
One of the tasks of the port authority of North Sea Port is to promote the port and help the many companies in it to expand their business.
Collective promotion
The business development team of Gazizah Bahmany adds a different touch to RVO’s services, she explains. “The team I am coordinating, is not working for single companies. Instead of advising companies in a tailored manner and based on their questions, we are working on strategies to collectively promote Dutch trade and industry abroad. For this, we use various tools. First of all, we initiate market surveys to collect relevant information about countries. In my case these are targeting the Middle East. The results of these surveys are presented to the industry, for example at meetings of trade and sector associations. Secondly, often based on the opportunities that appear from the surveys, we organise foreign trade missions that companies can join. During these trade missions, the participants can meet with various relevant stakeholders and learn more about the country and its way of doing business and the opportunities it has to offer. Often these trade missions result in a covenant in which the related government and industry agree about their roles in a project.”
Gazizah Bahmany explains the business development with an example. “Suppose that through a market survey we found out that the Gulf region wants to grow its own food in greenhouses, something the country lacks experience in. In the Netherlands, we have a lot of knowledge in this matter and we could, therefore, organise a trade mission to the region. This could include Dutch companies involved in the design and construction of greenhouses, as well as Dutch greenhouse growers to see what they can do to help the country and its
farmers. This mission might lead to serious contacts and plans for helping the development of greenhouse farming in the Gulf region. For this, a covenant is written in which all parties concerned, both from government and industry, agree who is going to do what to realise the plan.”
Working together
“Working in support of Dutch SMEs expanding internationally” Finn van Naamen elaborates, “it is important that the country advisor team and the business development team are experts in the countries and regions they are assigned to. Many of us have a personal connection or background with their specifc country. This means they understand the local business culture and/or speak the language, which makes it easier to fnd relevant tailormade market information. For more in-depth industry knowledge, we can consult RVO’s sector specialists who are primarily focused on building networks and developing opportunities in promising industries such as clean energy, water management, and port developments3. Besides this, we also work closely together with our global network, consisting of Dutch embassies, consulates and the Netherlands Business Support Offces (NBSOs) that are present in many countries.”
Financing
“RVO is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs,” Gazizah Bahmany explains. “However, RVO’s services are fnanced by the various organisations that ask for our help. The International Enterprise department, which the business development team is part of, for example, is commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs that therefore fnances our activities. For companies it is good to know that the advice from the country advisors is free of charge. Also, our market surveys can be obtained for free, which is quite extraordinary as they are expensive for us to make. Companies that want to join our trade missions only pay a small fee so there are hardly any burdens for using our services. The reason why our services are practically free of charge is because the Dutch Government acknowledges the importance of international trade for the Dutch economy. With the success the internationally operating Dutch companies achieve, this really becomes a worthwhile investment.”
North Sea Port
“North Sea Port, and the companies in the port area, often join our trade missions,” Gazizah Bahmany explains. “Still we think that more companies in North Sea Port should know what we can do for them.” Finn van Naamen adds, “Geopolitical shifts such as Brexit and the war in Ukraine are clear, recent examples of topics in which we can support Dutch companies. Many companies for the frst time learned about our services when they contacted us with questions about these issues. The things we have described in this article are only a small part of our activities. On the RVO-website more in-depth country information can be found and companies can also subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date. So, when a company in and around North Sea Port has questions about export, do not hesitate to get in touch with us!”
3 For more information: www.rvo.nl/onderwerpen/kansrijke-sectoreninternationaal-zakendoen
Finn van Naamen, country advisor at RVO.
MSP-Onions: exporting to 84 countries via North Sea Port
MSP-Onions, located a stone’s throw from the Vlissingen port area, is one of many companies close to North Sea Port that make use of the diverse facilities offered by the terminals for exporting its products.
“MSP Onions is an onion specialist with its factory neighbouring North Sea Port in Vlissingen,” Lindert Moerdijk, director of MSPOnions, says. “Our products are exported to many countries all over the world and the port provides us with global access and an enormous level of fexibility. Russia was an important country for us, and due to the restrictions, we needed to look for new markets and this resulted in a much broader and healthier basis for our export. Today, we export to 84 countries on almost all continents.”
Rules and regulations
Lindert Moerdijk continues, “Our advanced processing line with a high degree of automation, is unique in the world. Using artifcial intelligence, we can guarantee quality, regardless of how long the product is in transit. This way we can process high volumes fast, enabling us to act fast on the international market demand. The short lines to the port help us to export huge volumes all over the world. This means that we must deal with many different export regulations. I can imagine that for companies that lack experience in exporting, Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) can be very useful, although we fnd our ways ourselves. Still, for information about countries and their import rules, we often look at the information at the website of RVO. However, in some countries things can change very fast, resulting in additional requirements that are not (yet) mentioned on rvo.nl. This is why we also rely on our customers, as in most cases they know exactly what we need to do to meet the applicable export rules. When necessary, we also
contact Kwaliteits-Controle-Bureau (KCB) for advice. KCB is the Dutch Quality Control Bureau. It is an independent governing body, supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur (LVVN)). Finally, there is always the possibility to contact the Dutch embassies and consulates in specifc countries for information.”
Acquisition
Of course, export starts with acquisition and looking for new opportunities. Lindert Moerdijk explains how MSP-Onions deals with this. “For fnding new business, we attend the most important international food fairs, such as Fruit Logistica and Fruit Attraction. There we can present ourselves to prospects and of course, meet our existing customers. Apart from this, we also visit many countries ourselves to fnd out what is going on. In fact, this is the most important advice I can give: have a look in countries yourself. Of course, we also rely on the good relationships with our existing customers as they are fully aware of the opportunities, and they play an important promoting role for us towards new potential customers.”
Lindert Moerdijk, director of MSP onions.
MSP Onions is an onion specialist with its factory neighbouring North Sea Port in Vlissingen.
Image courtesy of MSP-Onions.
Environmental pioneers
DEME Environmental is playing an important role in building tomorrow’s world, developing brownfeld sites in the face of land scarcity and advancing sustainability.
The story of DEME Environmental begins in Flanders back in 1989 – well in advance of the various strands of environmental regulations that have come to pass since those times. The trigger for starting the pioneering company was a lack of available space – a considerable challenge across Western Europe already at that time.
General manager for DEME Environmental Dirk Ponnet explains, “Even back then there was a lot of competition for land use. Space was needed for residential development, commercial development, for recreation and for nature.”
Saving space
DEME Environmental is part of DEME (Euronext Brussels: DEME) a leading contractor in the felds of offshore energy, environmental remediation, dredging and marine infrastructure, and concessions – and one of the so-called big four of the dredging world. It was this experience in dredging that gave the company the opportunity to provide its space saving solutions.
“When we were dredging we would sometimes come into contact with polluted dredged materials. We developed solutions for cleansing these. From there, it was just a step to applying the same solutions on land.
New lease of life
“We realised that we could take devastated and unusable locations such as old industrial and landfll sites, for example, and give them a fresh lease of life. Approached with an open mind, places for which no one could visualise a future suddenly become new places to work, live and play.”
And with that, the company became the frst in Belgium –
DEME Environmental in action. The company’s work paves the way for a more sustainable future.
courtesy of DEME Group.
Approached with an open mind, places for which no one could visualise a future suddenly become new places to work, live and play.
and one of the frst in Western Europe – to specialise in soil remediation and brownfeld development.
Broadly speaking, there are two strands to the services provided by DEME Environmental, Dirk Ponnet says.
“Getting a permit for site development, even at a greenfeld location, never mind a brownfeld site, can be very challenging. Therefore, we help our clients to obtain permission for a change of use. Our other focus is on helping them to make their waste streams as sustainable as possible.”
In-house skills for a full service
In order to provide a comprehensive service, the 450-strong DEME Environmental team features a wide range of in-house skills. Its make up includes, for example, scientifc specialists, legal experts – a necessity in obtaining permission for re-use of a site – and the fnance experts necessary to make a sound business case out of a redevelopment project.
DEME Environmental operates some ffteen locations in its home countries of the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France. At these locations, it operates soil processing and sediment recycling centres, with a total process capacity of 3.5 million t per year. In addition to this, DEME Environmental operates mobile washing and recycling systems, which enable it to offer its services more widely. The company operates frequently in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and Italy, for example. The technology at DEME Environmental’s disposal includes bioremediation, physical-chemical cleaning, thermal treatment, sludge draining via lagooning, flter presses & belt-flter presses, stabilisation, and immobilisation. The company is also able to perform on-site capping, encapsulating waste safely on-site. With all these options available, DEME Environmental is able to provide its clients with a solution tailored entirely to their needs.
DEME Environmental takes a very proactive approach to its work, identifying areas with the potential for redevelopment and making a direct approach to the owner, thereby initiating the process of redevelopment. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in the number of businesses actively seeking the company’s support. For one thing, the reputation of
With our processes, everything that can be recycled is recycled. With any materials that we are handling, our aim is always to reuse them if possible.
DEME Environmental has spread. Additionally, concerns over the lack of available space have only become more pressing.
A shifting mentality
These is, however, another reason for the increase in the solutions that the company delivers; a shifting mentality in society at large.
“In the past, companies were not required to focus so much on the handling of their waste streams. A lot of businesses had a disposal facility on site. Not only does this reduce the space available, but it also fails to meet modern expectations that companies will take a more responsible approach to waste management. Today, the regulatory environment requires the careful handling of waste streams and, where possible, reuse and recycling,” states Dirk Ponnet.
His colleague, commercial director Tom Maes, elaborates saying, “With our processes, everything that can be recycled is recycled. With any materials that we are handling,
our aim is always to reuse them if possible.
“There are signifcant gains to be made from material remediation. When we have cleansed materials of pollutants, typically between 80 and 90% is clean and suitable for reuse, for example in the construction industry. The remaining 10% –the so-called flter cake – is then taken to a thoroughly modern landfll site, operating according to strict government guidelines and regulations, where it can be stored with no risk to the environment.”
Creating new land
Over the years, the company has developed an extensive track record of successful projects. A local example is the Terranova project (Belgium). This public-private project, which was initiated, co-funded and project managed by DEME Environmental, saw the remediation and redevelopment of the Terranova Zonneberg (solar mountain). Here, on this 87ha landfll location was a gypsum stockpile featuring open basins
The company’s operations began as a solution to severe space shortages.
Image courtesy of DEME Group.
There are signifcant gains to be made from material remediation. When we have cleansed materials of pollutants, typically between 80 and 90% is clean and suitable for reuse.
of acidic, phosphorous polluted water. Getting to work, DEME Environmental and its partners undertook the remediation necessary for the creation of the largest solar panel park in the Benelux. The Zonneberg boasts 55,000 solar panels – suffcient to provide clean energy for over 4,000 families.
The project also involved the development of the 20ha Callemansputte nature reserve. This location, adjacent to the Zonneberg, had previously been used as landfll for some 30 million m3 wet dredging materials. In order to redevelop the site, DEME Environmental was required to cover the land with a sealing layer and an organic layer. With the spoils stored wet, and due to the proximity of the gypsum, this was a complex operation. In order to drain and consolidate the 30m thick layer of soft mud, no fewer than 30,000m of vertical drains were laid. In the near future, the site will be transformed into a peaceful location of trees, grasslands and ponds.
The project also saw the redevelopment of the 50ha CR2 industrial site on the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, providing an
important stimulus to the local economy and creating a number of new employment opportunities.
Looking towards the future
Since 2023, DEME Environmental has been undertaking another project in North Sea Port – one which looks set to cement its position in the port for the years to come.
On a disused site in Ghent that has seen over a century of industrial activity, the company has undertaken the demolition of old buildings, as well as cleansing pollutants from both water and soil. This work paves the way for the creation of a new DEME Environmental recycling site.
“We work with a number of companies in North Sea Port,” says Tom Maes. “And we want to be close to our clients. This helps us to provide a better service, but it also plays a role in ensuring sustainability. By carrying out the cleansing of materials on location, we are able to reduce our reliance on road transportation. With the ongoing development of this North Sea Port location, we will be able to reduce emissions while providing an improved service to the port community.”
I. DEME-GROUP.COM
DEME Environmental’s commercial director Tom Maes (left) and general manager Dirk Ponnet (right).
A new fow in the limelight
Louis Dreyfus Company
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has strengthened Ghent’s position as a strategic hub for the distribution of its juices in Europe – and at the same time North Sea Port’s position as a major entry point for fruit juices on the continent – by adding a new fow of lime NFC (not from concentrate) to the existing shipments of orange juice. The logistic set-up used for this new trade increases the eco-effciency of LDC’s operations, while contributing to product quality.
The new product fow from the port of Santos, Brazil, offcially started with the arrival of LDC’s chartered juice tanker ‘Essayra’ at LDC’s juice terminal at Sifferdok in Ghent at the end of May. This followed a trial run conducted in 2023 that allowed the terminal in Ghent to prepare for reception of the new product with the installation of dedicated pipelines and tanks. This, to guarantee full segregation between orange, lime and lemon juices, thus maintaining product purity and quality – an operation that required considerable time and logistical investments at the facility.
Shipping lime NFC to Ghent represents an important milestone for our juice operations.
LDC in a nutshell
• founded in 1851
• leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods with a global presence, an extensive asset network, and a diversifed portfolio covering the entire agriculture and food value chain, from farm to fork
• present in 180 locations around the world, active in over 100 different countries
• employing approximately 18,000 people globally
• generating USD 50.6 billion of net sales in 2023
• originating, processing and transporting approximately 80 million tonnes of products each year
• labels its juice terminals in Ghent as one of the largest in the world
The ‘Essayra’ docking at LDC’s terminal at the Sifferdok in North Sea Port.
New business opportunities
“This shipment represents an important milestone for our juice operations. It is part of our strategy to grow our juice business and diversify our citrus offering in Europe, paving the way for new business opportunities and allowing us to meet evolving consumer needs and preferences in this market,” underlines Gijs Rotmans, LDC’s Head of Juice for Europe’s Eastern Countries & Asia Pacifc.
The standard fow of bulk orange juice from Brazil to Belgium is thus supplemented with a new lime NFC line. “Both have Santos as their loading port and are being distributed to the same markets. The main distribution area is Europe, as most of the citrus juice delivered in Ghent is consumed in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Markets outside Europe will continue to be served directly from Brazil for the time being. The frequency of bulk lime supply to Ghent will depend on market demand. Currently, one bulk delivery to Ghent terminal is scheduled each year, but volume and frequency can increase as vessels and terminals are fexible,” he adds.
The ‘Essayra’ is part of LDC’s regular feet, which consists of some 250 chartered vessels operating across the globe. Two of these, the ‘Essayra’ and its sister ship, the ‘Atlantic Orchard’, are owned by the Swedish company Wisby Tankers and are dedicated to transporting juice between Brazil and Europe.
“By leveraging Wisby Tankers’ expertise and state-of-theart vessels, we are able to provide high standards of service and operational excellence in our citrus transportation,” Gijs Rotmans says. “Both vessels have a fexible design, enabling us to completely segregate juices from different origins during transportation, and thus allowing us to combine shipments of lime and orange juices on the same vessel.”
Sustainability drive
The logistic set-up for the transport of lime juice is a new example of LDC’s drive to sustainability, the manager stresses. “Traditionally, our supply chain for frozen concentrate lime juices relied on drums and BINs, with higher transport and storage costs, increased product handling steps, and also increased scope 2 and 3 carbon emissions due to the additional storage and transportation steps. The shipment of lime NFC juice that took place at the end of May, focused exclusively on lime NFC
and was a bulk shipment. This modal shift therefore drives effciency, contributes to LDC’s and North Sea Port’s efforts to reduce their carbon emissions, and facilitates product handling and stability under aseptic conditions during transportation.” The aim to reduce LDC’s environmental footprint extends to the ship and port operations, Gijs Rotmans adds. “The ‘Essayra’ is able to run on biofuel. Indeed, a successful biofuel trial was carried out in 2022, using marine fuel blended with B30 biofuel to sail from Ghent to Santos, and back again. In addition, in 2025, the ‘Atlantic Orchard’, LDC’s second chartered juice vessel, will be retroftted with four 26m-high eSAILS developed by bound4blue. These are expected to reduce annual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by at least 10%.”
“In parallel, LDC is undertaking an ambitious project in collaboration with North Sea Port, to install shore power at the Sifferdok terminal, to decrease carbon emissions while the vessel is berthed. Vessel fuel engines can be turned off and the entire discharge operation done with green electricity. Combined with other activities and efforts, this project can potentially establish a green corridor between LDC in Belgium and LDC in Santos, refecting our commitment to contribute to the global shipping industry’s energy transition.”
Continuous investments
LDC built its juice terminal at the Sifferdok in 1999. Since then, the installation has been regularly expanded and upgraded. The addition of lime to its product portfolio is a new step in
Gijs Rotmans, LDC’s Head of Juice for Europe’s Eastern Countries & Asia Pacifc.
this development, Gijs Rotmans explains. “Although the new fow adds operational complexity to our Ghent operations, we gain operational effciency, service level toward our clients and positive impact on the fnal product quality. This includes better storage conditions for the product, less energy consumption and a centralised bulk tank to load from, reducing product handling and storage requirements.”
This is fully in line with other recent investments in the terminal, which employs approximately 50 people. “We have also invested in a new cooling plant in Ghent and implemented an energy management platform, boosting our energy effciency by 30%, and added more rooftop insulation, decreasing energy loss by 10%. Finally, security being a priority at LDC, we have recently invested in new fencing, gates and monitoring systems for our facility.”
“Our most signifcant recent investment in Ghent terminal relates to the installation of a dedicated aseptic loading line for coasters that sail between North Sea Port and Bridgewater, in the UK. Under the denomination JuiSea Shipping, this project, in collaboration with North Sea Port and third parties translates into a direct 60% reduction in scope 3 carbon emissions and offers clients a higher quality of juice.”
Dealing with climate change
The impact of climate change, which is making itself felt on the orange juice market, is an additional motive to pursue the highest possible level of effciency and sustainability, Gijs
Rotmans indicates. “LDC’s wider market insights and risk management capabilities allowed us to anticipate and manage market fow fuctuations, stabilising energy consumption and controlling costs. In the same way, they helped us to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, a period that saw higher volatility and prices for the main agri-commodities commercialised by the company, including juices, and the concerns it raised over potential supply chain disruptions around the world. Today, our operations are running smoothly, and we will continue to rely on our global presence and know-how to address current and future challenges facing our juice business.”
North Sea Port will remain one of the essential linchpins in that worldwide network. “We will continue to invest in our terminal in North Sea Port, as we aim to become 100% carbon neutral for scope 1 emissions at the facility, removing all direct carbon emissions from our activity. Also, as more and diverse volumes of juices are expected to enter our facility in Belgium, the site will need to continue expanding and become even more fexible, shifting from a pure terminal set-up to a more processing modality. We also aim to drive further effciency and reliability through digitalisation and automation. Of course, none of the above is possible without the dedication and involvement of our employees. We are proud of the diverse, skilled and committed team in Ghent, and will continue investing in their development too.”
Next year, the ‘Atlantic Orchard’, LDC’s second chartered juice vessel, will be retroftted with four 26-meter-high eSAILS. The artist’s impression shows the ‘Essayra’ with similar equipment.
Fostering the reuse of wastewater
Aquafn, BESIX, Indaver and ArcelorMittal join forces
Turning the wastewaster of 4 million people into a source of new energy, generating steam and recovering raw materials like phosphorus in the process: that is what water treatment company Aquafn and the FOSTER consortium set up by BESIX and Indaver intend to do with the new large-scale, state-of-the-art sludge processor they started building at ArcelorMittal Belgium’s site in North Sea Port. Construction will take just over two years.
The greening of port activity,which stands at the core of North Sea Port’s strategy for the coming years, is a fght that is being fought on many fronts. And the search for renewable energy sometimes takes unexpected turns, as shown by the new project.
Aquafn, which treats the domestic wastewater of 86% of residents in Flanders in 328 sewage treatment plants, has entrusted the design, build, fnancing, operation and maintenance of a brand new plant to FOSTER, a special-
purpose consortium set up by Indaver and BESIX. The largescale, state-of-the-art installation will process the biomass generated by the water treatment activities of Aquafn. That biomass offers great potential for generating energy and recovering raw materials.
Phosphorus recovery
From 2027, the sludge processor will be responsible for the fnal treatment of two-thirds of the sludge from the treatment
We want our sludge to have to be driven as few kilometres as possible to its fnal destination.
of household wastewater in Flanders. The incoming volumes will amount to approximately 160.000t of dewatered and dried sludge.
In a follow-up project, Aquafn also plans to start full-scale phosphorus recovery from sludge treatment fy ash with this plant. Phosphorus is an essential building block for all life, used in the form of phosphate in fertilisers. By opting for monoprocessing of sludge, the new plant will allow for maximum recovery, since sludge is not processed together with other substances. This will make Flanders less dependent on foreign mining operations, Aquafn says.
DBFMO contract
Aquafn has long been producing green energy and biomethane from the biogas derived from biomass fermentation at its water treatment installations. With its ‘road to zero carbon’ plan, the company aims to move further towards climate neutrality for its own business processes. With a negative global warming impact of 28,000t CO2-eq, the new sludge processor will make a signifcant contribution to that target.
Under the DBFMO (design-build-fnance-maintenanceoperation) contract concluded with Aquafn, FOSTER will be responsible for running the new plant until 2046. The project bears an investment cost of around EUR 200 million. “With our expertise we can guarantee effcient operation of the plant and thus contribute to sustainable development in Ghent for the next 20 years,” said Pierre Sironval, CEO of construction and project development group BESIX.
Paul De Bruycker, CEO of waste processing group Indaver was equally satisfed: “We have extensive experience in building and operating thermal processing plants and setting up steam and heat networks. We will apply this expertise to the FOSTER plant in Ghent. This fts perfectly with our mission to create maximum value for waste and close cycles in a high quality way.”
Perfect location
For the location of the new sludge processor, Aquafn chose the site of steel producer ArcelorMittal Belgium in the port of Ghent. “We based this on a model in which we could see, for each possible location, what the CO2 impact of all sludge transports in Flanders would be. We want our sludge to have to be driven as few kilometres as possible to its fnal destination,” Jan Goossens, CEO of Aquafn, explains this choice. “North Sea Port’s ambition to become carbon-neutral by 2050 was an additional factor.”
The new plant will translate into fewer truck movements. Aquafn is also looking into the possibility to make use of the waterway to bring part of the sludge to Ghent.
Greener steel
By giving Aquafn a building right on the site and taking the entire steam production of the sludge treatment as an additional feed for the internal steam network, ArcelorMittal Belgium also benefts, CEO Manfred Van Vlierberghe underlines: “For us, this plant represents another step in our sustainability strategy towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Using steam in our steelmaking process further reduces the use of fossil fuels. This makes the plant an example of sustainable energy production in Europe.”
The expansion turbine that will accept and expand the steam for use by ArcelorMittal will be fnanced by FINARMIT, a special purpose vehicle and 100% subsidiary of the Flemish public renewable energy investor FINEG. “We are supporting ArcelorMittal Belgium in making its Ghent corporate site more sustainable through FINARMIT. The electricity that the expansion turbine will produce will be supplied to the sludge processor and the expanded steam will be injected into Arcelor Mittal’s steam network”, explained Filip Keppens, director of FINEG. This will lead to an annual CO2 reduction of 13,000t for the steel producer.
A visualisation of the new sludge processor, which is being built near the Rodenhuizedok in Ghent.
Image courtesy of Foster.
A new era
Originally founded in Antwerp as a port corporation, Vlaeynatie is one of the older stevedoring companies of North Sea Port. Today, the company has evolved into a thriving logistics service provider, a multimodal one-stop shop for the fertiliser and sugar industry.
As the company nears its tenth anniversary at the Axelse Vlakte, Vlaeynatie is expanding its activities with a new 25,000m² facility in 2025, with plans for the development of another 69,000m² in the following years.
Sugar and fertilisers
“Vlaeynatie was founded in 1845 in Antwerp as one of the characteristic Antwerp stevedoring corporations or guilds,” says Lieven Vander Elstraeten, CEO of Vlaeynatie. “The company has been active in North Sea Port since 1909, originally in Ghent, but in 2015 Vlaeynatie renewed itself, with a modern installation and headquarters on the Axelse Vlakte near Terneuzen (North Sea Port). Our original core business here was the same as it was 100 years ago: offering value-added services in the maritime dry bulk supply chain, more specifcally for the fertiliser industry. Our activities quickly extended to the storage and packaging of sugar, and today we have one of the most modern, superior-quality infrastructures for handling sugar: the Zeeland Sugar Terminal. This, combined with our rail connection, which we use to transport sugar by train to countries such as France, Germany, and Poland, makes us a very sturdy and reliable partner for the sugar industry in Northern Europe.”
Trimodal terminal as a one-stop shop
“Our location in the logistics centre of Europe and our inhouse intermodal network allows us to offer our customers complete, multimodal solutions,” Lieven Vander Elstraeten says. “Although our core business is storage and packaging, over the years Vlaeynatie has gradually expanded its services into the one-stop shop it is today. Our 3MCT terminal is accessible by sea, road and rail. We have a strong partnership with major shipping lines and operate as a container depot, making us very price-competitive. From our container terminal, we transport containers by barge to other parts of North Sea Port such as Vlissingen or Ghent, adding to the sustainability of our port.” He adds: “Our road transport division is Swagemakers, a local and reliable truck company. We pride ourselves in offering “Dutch Quality” road transport, meaning we work exclusively with Dutch-speaking drivers who understand and act upon our philosophies regarding safety and quality. We also organise
Lieven Vander Elstraeten, CEO of Vlaeynatie: “Vlaeynatie is actively recruiting and offers its staff a dynamic environment with plenty of opportunities for personal development and growth.”
sea freight and airfreight for our customers through our freight forwarder AWL in a joint venture with Rhenus Air & Ocean. We specialise in transporting fertilisers and sugar, but we also offer solutions for general cargo. And last but not least, with CBS, Charter Bulk Services, we have our own shipbroker for bulk vessels.”
Expansion and growth
“This has been a great year for Vlaeynatie commercially,” Lieven Vander Elstraeten states. “Of course, we beneft greatly from
We are actively on the lookout for skilled professionals for all levels and departments of our company, from HR to engineering, from operational management to technicians.
our convenient location in North Sea Port, especially now that Antwerp is becoming more and more congested. Because of our location and our unique intermodal network, we have lately been receiving ever more new requests for storage and handling, not only for fertilisers and sugar but for general cargo as well. Furthermore, thanks to our good reputation and the quality of our services, we saw an exponential growth in volumes and transport requests from our existing customers.
Expanding our current facilities was therefore a very logical step to take. In fact, the new 25,000m2 is fully booked for the frst months, even before its completion. The new location will be taken into service by mid-2025 and will have a new, state-of-the-art bagging line. The facility will be used primarily for fertilisers. To facilitate operations and increase safety on our site, we are working with North Sea Port to adapt the road infrastructure, so that we will have a private road between our quay and the new facility.
“Since these new warehouses are already reserved for cargo from our existing customers, the next step would be to expand further on the 69,000m2 terrain we have available. In fact, we plan to develop this area in 2026 and 2027 with additional storage locations, of which at least one will be dedicated to general cargo. In the meantime, our main challenge will be to get our company ready to handle all these new volumes, not only administratively but most notably in terms of fnding suffcient employees, which is a real challenge in today’s labour market.”
Vlaeynatie offers value-added services in the maritime dry bulk supply chain.
Vlaeynatie is a multimodal one-stop shop for the fertiliser and sugar industry.
Actively recruiting
“We are very fortunate to have a business partner like North Sea Port that thinks along and is actively working on strengthening the North Sea Port brand as well as fnding solutions to fll all the vacancies,” Lieven Vander Elstraeten says. “Since the start of 2024, we hired over 70 new employees, but there are over 30 vacancies still available. As we continue to grow, we expect this number to increase signifcantly over the next months and years. We are actively on the lookout for skilled professionals for all levels and departments of our company, from HR to engineering, from operational management to technicians. We offer our staff a dynamic environment with plenty of opportunities for personal development and growth. We even have an in-house training centre for our staff: Vlaeynatie Academy.”
He explains, “We operate in a market niche with its own very specifc set of parameters. Working here is not rocket science, but our operators and technical staff do need a certain knowledge of the products they work with and the installations they operate. Since we are also continuously innovating, and modernising our procedures, software systems and installations, we realised that we needed a reliable and thorough in-house educational programme for our technical staff and operators. That is why we created Vlaeynatie Academy. We now have four employees working full-time on the training, certifcation and continuous support of our technical staff. We have written our operational processes, safety procedures and quality regulations in multiple languages. Anyone with a willingness and drive to work can apply: we will take care of your in-house education and teach you all the skills you need to thrive in this exciting environment.”
A new era
Lieven Vander Elstraeten is a new asset to Vlaeynatie himself, coming on board a few months ago. “As new CEO, my task is
to usher Vlaeynatie into its new era as a modern, multimodal, sustainable international logistics service provider,” he states.
“Together with my management team, we are transforming Vlaeynatie into a dynamic logistics company with sturdy IT platforms, a strong commitment to health and safety, and a strong focus on the quality of our services, whilst still maintaining the craftsmanship and passion from the guild spirit. One of the key elements in this transformation is our IT company ION which develops digital dashboards and software for warehouse management, packaging operations and container terminals, but we also need to focus on strengthening our staff and management team if we are to evolve and grow. We are setting the stage, both for the upcoming expansion with the new warehouse which will be operational by mid-2025, and for the future growth of our company.”
I. VLAEYNATIE.EU
Photo courtesy of Vlaeynatie.
Vlaeynatie is a multimodal terminal at the Axelse Vlakte near Terneuzen (North Sea Port). Its 3MCT terminal is accessible by sea, road and rail.
Lieven Vander Elstraeten, CEO of Vlaeynatie.
The next step in multimodality
The new bike tunnel will be part of a larger functional cycle network between the port, companies and town centres.
North Sea Port’s Kluizendok, located on the left bank of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal in Ghent (Evergem), is one of the fastest developing areas in North Sea Port, with a surface area of 400 ha of industrial estate. The completion of the new rail connection called ‘ring track’ by the end of 2024 will signifcantly improve the rail connection to companies and terminals at Kluizendok. This contributes to the modal shift and makes the port area even more interesting for future investors.
Rail bundle Zandeken
“The ring track enhances track capacity and speeds up train operations,” says Annelies De Groote, commercial manager at North Sea Port. “Rail access to the Kluizendok area is possible through the large rail bundle – Zandeken – next to it. This rail bundle was taken into service in 2016 and then expanded in 2023 with four more tracks and an automated signalling system on the southern side. Today, the bundle consists of nine tracks, with room for expansion with another eight tracks. The expansion of this rail bundle, as well as the improvement of its connection to the Kluizendok, is an important part of ensuring continued economic growth and multimodality in our port.”
She explains, “In Ghent, there are currently two major rail bundles: the Gent-Zeehaven marshalling yard and the Mercator
rail bundle. The Mercator bundle is located on the right bank of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal and is used primarily by the automotive and steel industries. Even after its recent expansion, this bundle is operating at full capacity. As rail bundles like these are used mainly for shunting or re-organising the freight trains, North Sea Port needed another strong system on the left bank of the canal. Taking into account the expected economic growth at Kluizendok, and the increased volumes we are already seeing today – bundle Zandeken had an average of 100 entries and exits per month in 2023 compared to 60 per month in 2020 – rail bundle Zandeken is an increasingly important hub in our port’s rail system. However, the connection from rail bundle Zandeken to the companies at Kluizendok was far from ideal.”
New ring track
“The new ring track is essentially a connection between the existing northern track in Kluizendok, which is connected to the northernmost track of rail bundle Zandeken, and the southern track which leads to Interface Terminal Ghent (ITG), Kluizendok’s own multimodal open access terminal managed by Stukwerkers,” Annelies de Groote says. “This southern track could only be reached by a complicated time-consuming pushing manoeuvre initiated from the track bundle. After redesigning the connections to the track bundle, trains can be pulled by a locomotive towards ITG Terminal, which is signifcantly safer and doubles the speed of the rail-port operations. Furthermore, these improved train operations offer more capacity for additional trains. Trains can now run in a circle between the bundle and the companies at Kluizendok as the new connections allow trains to enter and exit the Kluizendok from the northern and the southern side, and also from each track in the Zandeken bundle instead of only from the northernmost one. This is a massive improvement that unlocks the track bundle’s full capacity and makes for a sturdy, future-proof railway system. Furthermore, as of 2027, the entire track bundle Zandeken as well as the ring track will have an automated signalling system, which will further increase rail effciency and enhance the safety of the entire system.”
Modal shift
“Having a robust railway system in North Sea Port is essential, not only for its economic potential but also for the environment.
New connections between the rail bundle and the Kluizendok tracks will allow trains to enter and exit the Kluizendok from the northern and the southern side, as well as from each track in the Zandeken bundle instead of only from the northernmost one, hereby unlocking the rail bundle’s full capacity.
The new bike tunnel will be connected to the bike bridge and the bicycle highway next to the R4, which further strengthens the bicycle accessibility of the Kluizendok port area.
Facts & fgures
• The port area Kluizendok encompasses 400 hectares of industrial estate.
• Kluizendok itself was taken into service in 2010 and has a draught of 12.5m max along a total of 4.82km of quay walls.
• The new ring track consists of 1.5km of newly constructed rail track and 9 new switches ( two for new connections to the port companies).
• Total investment of the ring track project amounts to EUR 7 million:
Infrabel: EUR 2.3 million (railway infrastructure);
North Sea Port: EUR 4.68 million (ground preparation, bike tunnel and bike paths);
– Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen: EUR 140,000 (LFF bikenetwork).
North Sea Port is committed to the modal shift, and we aim to increase the share of rail transport from 9% to 15%.
Infrabel, the Belgian railway company, is an important partner in facilitating these goals and is committed to supporting the port and the Belgian economy. The excellent cooperation between North Sea Port and Infrabel, as well as the companies Ghent Renewables and ITG Terminals, has been fundamental in making this ambitious project of the new ring track a reality,” Annelies De Groote states.
An engineering work of Hercules
“It was no easy feat. We redefned concessions that had previously been issued and built a new road, in order to design the best possible and safest tracks for the area.
“To avoid ground-level crossings, North Sea Port has also built a new bicycle tunnel under the ring track, partially with funding from the Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen as part of the LFF project. This project aims to create a functional cycle network between the port, companies and town centres. We will also construct bike paths within the Kluizendok business estate to strengthen the bicycle accessibility of this port area.”
New rail connections for the Kluizendok companies
“The companies in the Kluizendok will beneft signifcantly from the new ring track,” says Annelies De Groote. She explains, “The development of this ring track fts in our mission to enable the growth of our companies, which will now be possible thanks to the increased capacity of the area.”
“The new ring track will also have two connections to GTS. Ghent Transport & Storage was already using the northern track and will as such beneft from the improved connection, but a new rail connection with a switch from the main ring track will be established with daughter company Ghent Renewables as well. Ghent Renewables, which specialises in the production of biofuel, will use this connection to link a total of four tracks to the new system, enabling them to make a modal shift towards train transport to the hinterland and the rest of Europe.”
Rail Ghent-Terneuzen
“The new ring track, and more specifcally the improvement of rail bundle Zandeken, is part of a larger vision for rail
development in North Sea Port,” Annelies De Groote says, “as this bundle is also part of another ambitious project: Rail GhentTerneuzen. Rail Ghent-Terneuzen aims to improve and expand the rail network between Ghent and Terneuzen. North Sea Port, together with infrastructure managers Infrabel (Belgium) and ProRail (the Netherlands), are planning several investments for rail development in the border area, with support from the European Union. On the right bank of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, a new connection between Axel (NL) and Zelzate (BE) will be created. On the left bank, bundle Zandeken will be connected to the tracks running to Terneuzen. This will include building a new bridge over the tracks. The ultimate goal of this exciting project is much the same as the goal of our new ring track: to create a modern, abundant railway system throughout North Sea Port to stimulate economic growth and prosperity as well becoming a multimodal port with a strong focus on sustainability.”
I. NORTHSEAPORT.COM
I. RAILGHENTTERNEUZEN.EU
North Sea Port’s new bicycle tunnel under the ring track.
The new ring track will connect Kluizendok’s existing northern and southern tracks to rail bundle Zandeken, enabling trains to run in a circle between the rail bundle and the companies at Kluizendok.
Safety for hire
Safe solutions for the modern port operation
Brandwacht Huren has been ensuring safety in port for the past ten years.
It’s been ten years since former frefghter Bas Stoop set out to enhance safety across Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Germany with the creation of Brandwacht Huren B.V. The safety specialist company combines the experience of safety experts with the latest innovations and a quick response, to help ensure a safer working environment.
On-site safety support
The company’s services are diverse, explains commercial director Henk Verhoef. They include the provision of on-site safety experts overseeing hazardous work by providing services such as frewatch and manhole watch and taking care of safety during project executions such as maintenance, hot works and work in confned spaces.
“The personnel involved in this work are all highly trained and in possession of the relevant certifcation and qualifcations, including for gas detection and measurement and the delivery of frst aid. Our safety personnel include active duty frefghting professionals, as well as in-house trained industrial frefghters. At the current time, we are able to call upon the support of around 500 frefghters in the Netherlands alone,” he says.
Rapid response
Brandwacht Huren is also able to mobilise an emergency response team who can be quickly on site to get people to safety and provide the necessary frst aid response. Additionally,
the company’s specialists are capable to conduct rescue operations – including at heights or in deep water – when required.
All of these specialists are available 24/7, 365 days a year and, thanks in part to the company’s digital application, can be on location within two hours anywhere in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Advice & assessment
Brandwacht Huren also offers a range of consultancy services, says Henk.
“These are also quite broad in scope. They range from providing our clients with advice on safety-related practice and rules and regulations – including environmental regulations, to observing hazardous work to make sure that it is being carried out correctly, according to permit requirements, for example.
“Another example is the provision of risk assessments. Here, we will walk through our client’s site and check, for example, that all the fre extinguishers are in place and working, and observe any
The company works with highly trained industrial and professional frefghters.
other potential safety hazards. This is followed by a practical report containing an action plan for improvement.”
Furthermore, Brandwacht Huren delivers a number of technical services, including the provision of gas detection & measuring, and video surveillance equipment.
Next steps in QHSE
Recent years have seen the creation of a sister company –QHSE Next, which aims to broaden access to the company’s safety services, notably through the provision of education & training and advice.
QHSE Next provides training on hazardous tasks such as confned space work, working with breathing equipment, and also higher education for HSE Managers. It helps companies to become compliant with different ISO standards such as VCA, ISO 9001, ISO 45001. Also secondment for higher level safety specialists is one of the key activities of the company.
One-stop safety and security solution
In the Netherlands, the company has a preferred supplier agreement in place with leading security company, Securitas. As such, Henk says, companies are able to take advantage of a comprehensive portfolio of support services in a single location.
“As partners to Securitas, we are able to offer our clients a onestop shop for all their safety and security solutions,” he says. Given the diverse sectors that Brandwacht Huren, QHSE Next and Securitas serve, this offer has the potential to beneft a lot of companies.
Brandwacht Huren and QHSE Next, for example, cover multiple sectors including events, healthcare and hospitality, as well as (petro)chemical, construction & infrastructure and industry.
Affnity with ports
Key to supporting such diverse sectors, Henk says, is having in place the right people, with an affnity for the different
As partners to Securitas, we are able to offer our clients a one-stop shop for all their safety and security solutions.
markets in which the company works.
“When we are selecting the right person for a particular job, we take a lot of things into account. Of course, we look at who is available, and who has the relevant qualifcations and certifcation. But we also look at the experience they have had, and what they like to do.
“Ports are a good example of the importance of personnel specialised in specifc sectors. Working there can require someone being outside, in all weathers and seasons, at all times of day or night. Not everyone is happy to be working in such a setting, so it’s important to have someone who understands what is expected of them.”
Getting things done – safely and on time
The company has a signifcant number of port-based clients, including in North Sea Port, which is close to its Belgian location in Sint Niklaas.
“Plus, harbours are an international and dynamic environment,” he continues. “On a lot of projects taking place there, there are contractors from multiple companies, multiple countries, with very different safety cultures. When we send someone to such a job, it’s important that they know how to communicate to all concerned about what is necessary to ensure everyone gets home safely at the end of the day.”
There is another port-specifc element to the work in a port, Henk says.
“I’m from a port city myself – Rotterdam – and I think I have
Brandwacht Huren can call upon the support of 500 frefghters in the Netherlands alone.
a fair idea of the culture. There’s a very specifc set of requirements – it’s not like working in an offce. For instance, while safety is a huge priority, the work is also often extremely time sensitive. It requires someone who not only talks a good job, but knows how to get things done.”
Strides to sustainability
In whichever industry and environment their teams are working, Henk says he observes a common trend amongst customers today – a drive towards increasingly sustainable operations.
“For all our customers, large and small, sustainability is today top of mind,” He says. “Which of course, means it is also a top priority for us, too.”
The company has, in fact, already made some impressive strides towards increased sustainability.
“Our employees are on the road a lot. We have people driving to jobs all over the Netherlands, Belgium and in Germany, all day every day. Collectively, we cover a considerable number of km. To reduce the amount of emissions we produce during all this driving, we have provided all those employees on our payroll with access to an electric car.”
What’s more, the company has replaced all traditional equipment with electric devices, too, ensuring that on-site operations are also low emissions, and with zero chances of an oil spill, for example.
Digital developments
In addition to sustainability, Henk explains that increasingly a good knowledge and understanding of digital solutions is important in providing customers with the support they need.
“This has become particularly noticeable since the coronavirus pandemic a few years ago. With lockdowns and people getting sick, it was sometimes just not possible to get personnel on location. During this time, I think we all realised that we could do a lot more things digitally. Our clients certainly show a growing interest in digital solutions, and it’s our job of course to think along with them.”
Effciency gains
One example of how digitalisation is penetrating the realm of safety in the workplace is the use of cameras to observe work taking place.
“There is an effciency gain to be had with the use of a camera, for sure,” Henk states. “For one thing, one person is able to observe multiple work locations simultaneously.”
People power
There is, however, a limit to what the digital solutions can do and, Henk says, there will always be an important role for people to play in ensuring on-site safety.
“The camera is able to observe, but it cannot enter a confned space, it cannot perform a rescue operation. In our view, it’s important to have a balance, with the digital solutions providing support to the personnel. Manpower is – and will remain – a crucial factor in ensuring safety.”
And, as long as that remains the case, Brandwacht Huren and QHSE Next will be on hand to ensure the balance between technology and personnel required to provide safety in port.
I. BRANDWACHTHUREN.NL
For
all our customers, large and small, sustainability is today top of mind. Which of course, means it is also a top priority for us, too.
Striking the balance: People will always have an important role to play in ensuring safety.
Bringing people together
North Sea Port currently provides 106,000 jobs in and around the port area, and this number is expected to increase as the opening of the new lock in Terneuzen will prompt more volumes and economic growth. However, with an international border running right through the port, a decrease in student interest in technical education paths and an unwarranted image problem on the labour market, fnding talented professionals to fll the vacancies is not always easy.
This is where North Sea Port Talent comes in. North Sea Port Talent was created to improve cooperation between all stakeholders, stimulate cross-border initiatives, and provide a one-stop shop to match the supply and demand of the job market in North Sea Port.
International partnership
North Sea Port Talent was created earlier this year with funding from Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland, following the success of the previous project, North Sea Port Talent 1.0, of 2021-2023. North Sea Port Talent 2.0 is an international non-proft organisation, and a unique partnership between Stad Gent, Voka Oost-Vlaanderen, North Sea Port, VDAB Oost-Vlaanderen, and UWV.
“Our mission is to strengthen the labour market in the cross-border port area,” says Silvie Lefebre, Managing Director of North Sea Port Talent. “Not only do we want to
Events like the student boat cruises help decrease student fall-out as they make the theory more tangible.
be a one-stop shop for employers in the port and job seekers, we also aim to bring all stakeholders together, improve cooperation between public and private institutions and stimulate cross-border cooperations between the companies in North Sea Port. North Sea Port Talent has four roles to fulfl: we are a single point of contact for all stakeholders; we detect, signal and remedy diffculties in the labour market; we invest in (future) talent; and we strive to be a dependable ally of the companies in our port.”
One-stop shop for the North Sea Port labour market
North Sea Port Talent is currently developing a web portal to bring all information and stakeholders together in one place.
Silvie Lefebre explains: “Initially, the web portal is the place where all vacancies in the port will be posted, but we want it to be much more than that. The portal will serve as a hub to bring all stakeholders together. Job seekers will of course be able to browse through vacancies like any usual job site, but employers will also be able to search for qualifed consultants for their projects, or for companies to outsource to. Job seekers will be able to investigate travel times, routes and even means of transport to the company before applying. “Then, in the second stage, we want to add a learning portal
to our website. Not to organise training ourselves but again to bring all stakeholders together in a single portal — a training catalogue so to speak— where anyone looking for a specifc course or education can browse through the possibilities, be it an employee looking to obtain a certain certifcate, a company seeking workshops for their employers, or a job seeker searching for courses to learn a certain skill.”
Silvie Lefebre adds: “To reach as many people as possible, our web portal will also have an API link to the VDAB website since it reaches a broader audience of job seekers. However, reaching more job seekers with online vacancy posts will hardly be enough to fll the estimated 6,000 vacancies in our port. This is why frstly, before starting up this organisation, we had several meetings with all possible stakeholders of the North Sea Port labour market: trade associations, the education sector, the municipal authorities, and so on, so we could gather the diffculties they face and determine an initial course of action. After all, to tackle the challenges of our labour market, we frst need to map them out. Which brings us to our second role.”
Signalling diffculties
“North Sea Port Talent means to detect, signal and where possible remedy the challenges of the North Sea Port labour market, if possible even before they arise, not only as an
initial business plan but continuously. This is why we have formed a strategic group of representatives from large and small businesses throughout the port – our round table – to set priorities and to pinpoint which main challenges our port companies face today in the labour market. One major issue that has come forward from these meetings, is the image problem the port has in the broader society. Research has shown that many people still believe the port is flled with ancient, polluting industries,” Silvie Lefebre explains. “Furthermore, people tend to think that working in the port
automatically means being a dockworker, but this is of course not true. The port offers a broad variety of job opportunities for both blue and white-collar jobs. We need all kinds of talents and profles but the truth is that many students graduating in felds like accountancy, IT, business management or engineering do not tend to look at the port for their career paths. This is why one of our priorities is to create a strong brand for North Sea Port on the labour market, to show people that working in the port is as exciting as it is diverse.”
Silvie Lefebre adds: “Another alarming signal we picked up on, came from our educational partners, as they informed us that the infow of students in port-oriented and technical education paths decreases year after year. That is a real problem for the future because the port companies need a lot of various technical profles. These jobs are often exciting, tangible and well-paid, but that is unfortunately not the image students have of these jobs. So we have to get our students excited for these career paths, we have to show that so many different jobs and skills are needed in the port, not only technicians, and operators, but also accountants, receptionists, sales managers, customer service, basically any job any other major company would need. We have to show students, job seekers and people looking for a career change what a vibrant, innovative, high-tech, and fascinating environment the port actually is.”
Investing in talent
“One of our means to do this is organising events such as the student boat cruise through the port together with our partner North Sea Port. We received signals from our educational partners that these events help decrease student fall-out, as it helps to make their theory and exercises more tangible. In this respect, we hope that our Experience Day will become the
Silvie Lefebre, managing director of North Sea Port Talent.
Student boat cruise through the port in cooperation with North Sea Port.
event of the year. It was held for the frst time on November 25th at the International Convention Center in Ghent, and it was fully booked. The main goal of this event is to get attention for our brand: to show what North Sea Port and its companies have to offer, not only to students but to everyone looking for a new career.
“Mind you, we did not want this to be just any regular job fair,”
Silvie Lefebre says. We required the over 60 companies in our business pavilion to present their business and various jobs in an exciting, tangible and interactive way. To this end, we had simulators and a VR-zone where people could experience the jobs frsthand. We also wanted the companies to present their technological innovations and the efforts they make regarding sustainability. North Sea Port has set several goals regarding sustainability and CO2 neutrality. Working at the port means contributing to the energy transition and technological advancement, actually being part of the solution. Additionally, our educational pathways offered a behind-the-screen glance at the workings of the port. We had workshops on specifc jobs and AI for our visitors, but there were also workshops for our companies, during which they could share good practices. Finally, we set up a learning pavilion where 20 learning institutions showed people the importance of lifelong learning and consequently staying relevant in your career. We hope that this event will have a signifcant impact on students, teachers and the overall image of the port on the labour market.”
North Sea Port Talent is also searching for talent in other places.
Silvie Lefebre explains: “We recently organised a pitching event between companies and counsellors of job seekers with a certain distance to the labour market. This way we hope to bring people together in an inclusive way, and we see that over 50 job interviews resulted from one single morning alone. Even so, turning the attention of all these students and skilled professionals to the port may not be enough. This is why we are investigating the possibility of looking for talent abroad.
However, our companies signalled a major problem with this: the housing market in the port. This brings me to our next role.”
Creating alliances
“We are not a recruitment agency pur sang,” Silvie Lefebre says. “We are an ally of our companies, we look at things from a macro perspective and try to bring stakeholders together so they can cooperate and form partnerships to fnd solutions for the diffculties our port labour market faces today. Together we can achieve more than what we can alone. North Sea Port Talent acts as the liaison, we are the glue that brings all these people together. In the example of the housing market for possible foreign talent, we have brought certain public and private stakeholders together in one meeting so they could work on solutions together. The same goes for working crossborder: several companies indicated facing diffculties with contracts, taxes and so on, so we brought them together with EURES, who specialises in these matters.
“If we are to tackle the diffculties in the labour market today, forming partnerships is incredibly important,” Silvie Lefebre states. “Companies need to look beyond their own shadow and help each other, share knowledge, and best practices in how to deal with new developments or even in how to keep employees happy. After all, there’s no use in fnding talented workers to fll current job openings when companies can’t hold on to them and employees start running away. The cost of less productive or sick employees, who might complain to their team but will not leave themselves, is huge. So why not help each other fll vacancies? When an employee is looking for career opportunities that you cannot provide, why not share this information with your partners? Help each other fnd the best possible match and manage the available talent, crosscompany and cross-border.”
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Students view the companies they meet on the North Sea Port Talent Experience Day from the water on these port boat cruises.
An integrated green energy solution
Solinoor is a young company that specialises in the development and construction of innovative energy solutions on water (foating solar), on land and on industrial roofs. This combination makes the company unique, and one that perfectly fts in the North Sea Port area.
Besides bringing its own projects to life, Solinoor also helps its clients with consulting services. In this way, it builds towards a future where renewable energy is accessible and affordable for everyone.
Vahid Kharidar
Solinoor was initiated by Vahid Kharidar, who in 2007 graduated in Information Technology from Eindhoven and in 2010 successfully received his master title in International Business Management. Meanwhile, in 2008, he had started to work for Philips where he held various management roles. In 2018 he made a move to the green energy sector. Four years ago, he decided to start his own company and Solinoor was born.
All images courtesy of Solinoor.
Bright sun
“During my years at Philips,” Vahid Kharidar says, “I realised that transition to sustainable renewable energy was inevitable. However I also saw that many steps were needed to make green energy accessible and affordable to everyone. After some years working as managing director for the Duch market and constructing many renewable energy projects in the Netherlands together with some great people we founded Solinoor. The word is a combination of two words from different languages. ‘Sol’ and ‘noor’, and means ‘bright sun’. Solinoor was established with the philosophy that energy should be consumed at the location where it is produced; ‘local production for local consumption’. We help companies
Vahid Kharidar, managing director of Solinoor.
According to Solinoor energy should be consumed at the location where it is produced.
to generate and store green energy they can use for their own purposes. We provide renewable energy solutions on water, on land, and on the rooftops to power industries directly with the energy produced from solar parks. For the latter carports of charging stations are also important locations. When we started our company with a focus on ‘off-grid’ solutions, no one was talking about congestion of the energy network, so, at that time we were frontrunners for off-grid solutions. Today, this is a way to solve the congestion issues we have in our grid network.”
Everything in house
Vahid Kharidar continues, “Our activities can be divided into four main pilers: consultancy, development, construction, and R&D. This way, we help customers from the frst idea to the complete installation of their green energy projects. We not only look at the technical aspects of a plan, but also to regulations and we assist customers with things such as feasibility studies and permitting. We call this the integrated energy solution. We have everything in house to help companies to realise their green energy projects. This really differentiate us from other parties in the market that often can provide only one solution, and this is something customers really consider a big plus.”
Green energy mines
With the availability of water, land and roofs, North Sea Port is an ideal location for Solinoors integrated energy solutions, and frst contacts have already been made with the port authority. “Ports are excellent locations for our green energy production and storage facilities. We already have projects running at the ports of Liepaja (Latvia), Antwerp-Bruges, and Rotterdam, where we are going to realise the largest solar energy project in the port. We consider ports as ideal green energy mines with a lot of water, land and large rooftops for production and storage of green energy by means of solar panels. Also, they have plenty of companies to directly use the electricity derived from the green energy. Plus, no matter how, electricity will become more and more important for the propulsion and operation of
With the availability of water, land and roofs, North Sea Port is an ideal location for Solinoors integrated energy solutions, and frst contacts are already made with the port authority.
vessels, and these vessels could also make use of the green energy through shore power installations. Currently we have a project running for charging barges with power provided by foating solar panels. And what about electric vehicles? Many of them are transported over sea and unloaded and temporary parked in ports. These cars also need electricity. Apart from these examples, our green energy solutions ft perfectly with North Sea Port’s ambitions of becoming a sustainable port.”
Dekker Group
Solinoor has joined forces with experts in the felds of renewable energy and sustainability, including asset holders.
“With our own expertise, and that of our shareholders, together with a serious fnancial basis we receive a lot of confdence from the market. So far, this has resulted in around 120MW of assets in our portfolio, distributed over various locations in the Netherlands, and of course more will follow,”
Vahid Kharidar elaborates. “One of the two main shareholders in Solinoor is the family-owned Dekker Group and they have really helped to realise our goals in a very collaborative way.”
Sjaak Wezenberg is a member of the board of directors of Dekker Group and closely involved in Solinoor. “The origin of the Dekker Group lies in the extraction of sand and gravel from riverbeds in the Dutch river region,” he explains. “Our centuryold family business aims at creating a better living environment and at building lasting relationships with our stakeholders, fostering collaboration, strengthening ties, and promoting innovation.”
Solinoor’s offers integrated green energy solutions.
Sounding board
Sjaak Wezenberg continues, “Each of our activities serves as a link in the supply chain for the construction sector. We have our own locations to collect sand and gravel, we have our own barges, and concrete factories. Vahid talked about integrated energy solutions, and one could say that our company offers integrated solutions in the feld of supply of raw materials for the construction of buildings and infrastructural projects. Also, Dekker Group endorses the green energy ambitions of Solinoor as we not only aim for fnancial proft. Our relationship started when Vahid talked about Solinoor’s green energy solutions, as we wanted our operation to become more sustainable. We were very enthusiastic, and we even decided to join as shareholder in his company. One of our sand extraction areas was used for the frst foating solar tests and many of our factories were provided with solar panels. This way, we helped Solinoor to make a start from which they could further expand their activities. As a shareholder we want to be more than just an investor, which means that we are also acting as a sounding board and providing them with advice. We believe in what Solinoor stands for and we want to help them to realise their ambitions.”
Balancing supply and demand
Based on the experience of Vahid Kharidar and his colleagues, Solinoor has built up much knowledge and expertise to help current and future customers with their demands for green energy production and storage. “Many companies do not have clear ideas about how to use their assets for production of green energy in a suffcient way as they are used to providing energy from their solar panels or wind turbines to power the grid
instead of using it themselves,” Sjaak Wezenberg elaborates.
“Solinoor has everything in house to help companies to fnd the right tailor-made solution for balancing the power supply and use of a company, and for balancing the supply and demand on the power grid as well. We now see that their projects also get a lot of international attention. We have a lot of faith in Solinoor and the company and its team are close to our heart, so we wish them a prosperous future.”
I. SOLINOOR.COM
Solinoor has around 120MW of assets in its portfolio, distributed over various locations in the Netherlands, and more will follow.
Sjaak Wezenberg, board member Dekker Group.
One million, and more to come
Volvo Cars
The Volvo Cars factory in North Sea Port passed a new milestone in early October with the production of the millionth car of the XC40/EX40 model. Ghent thus became the very frst Volvo Car assembly plant to build such a large number of the same series on its own. And there is no end in sight yet.
Production of the XC40 at Volvo Car Gent started in November 2017. At the plant, 363 new robots had been readied for the task to assemble the new car – including one nicknamed “the Beast” by Ghent employees to lift lower car bodies to a conveyor belt close to the ceiling of the plant. For the group and the factory, the launch of the XC40 production was a major turning point. Marking Volvo’s entry into the fastest growing market segment in the car industry, the XC40 was then the very frst small SUV to be assembled in Belgium, and the frst model based on the group’s new
Volvo Cars continues to invest at full swing in its Belgian factory.
compact modular vehicle architecture. The new model proved an immediate success and, soon after its release, won the 2018 European Car of the Year Award, another frst for Volvo Cars. Today, it is Volvo Cars’ second-best selling model.
The fully electric version of the XC 40 – now named EX40 – was added in 2020. “Since then, we have built more than 175,000 electric cars of this series,” plant manager Stefan Fesser said at the delivery of the millionth unit, which was a fully electric model. In Belgium, almost two thirds of the sales are electric versions, making the EX40 one of the most widely sold electric cars in the country.
Further investments
Volvo Car Corporation remains committed to making the switch to electrical vehicles. Today, it has fve fully electric car models on the road, and fve more in development. On a global scale, fully electric cars accounted for 25% of all sales in the third quarter, versus 13% in the same quarter last year. By 2030, it aims to reach at least 90% of sales with electric vehicles.
With that goal in mind, the group continues to invest at full swing in its Belgian factory. Next year, Volvo Car Gent will start producing the fully electric EX30, next to the V60, XC40/ EX40 and EC40. A new battery assembly unit is also under construction.
With its 6,500 workers, Volvo Car Gent is the largest industrial employer in the province of East Flanders. Last year, the plant assembled 230,527 cars. Since 1965, when Volvo Cars set up its continental plant, more than 7.5 million cars have rolled off the line.
I. VOLVOCARS.COM
A collective achievement: workers at Volvo Car Gent celebrate the production of the one millionth XC40/EX40.
Image courtesy of Volvo Cars.
North Sea Port: Ghent
North Sea Port: Ghent
Zeekanaal Ghent - Terneuzen: The depth of water in the canal is 13.5 m and there are no currents or tides. Inside the port there are five large docks and three
smaller docks, offering a total quay length of
Zeekanaal Ghent - Terneuzen: The depth of water in the canal is 13.5 m and there are no currents or tides. Inside the port there are fve large docks and three smaller docks, offering a total quay length of 31 kilometres for vessels up to 92,000 DWT. 22 kilometers with a depth of water of at least 12.5 metres. All the docks have direct access to the canal.
31 kilometres for vessels up to 92,000 DWT. 22 kilometers with a depth of water of at least 12.5 metres. All the docks have direct access to the canal.
Zelzate •
• Kluizendok: Is a brand-new dock. Has a total quay length of 4,300 metres with a depth of water of 13.5 metres and a width of 350 metres.
• Kluizendok: Is a brand-new dock. Has a total quay length of 4,300 metres with a depth of water of 13.5 metres and a width of 350 metres.
• Rodenhuizedok: Quay on the southern side is 790 metres long with 13.5 metres of depth. Width of 270 metres.
• Rodenhuizedok: Quay on the southern side is 790 metres long with 13.5 metres of depth. Width of 270 metres.
• Mercatordok: Quay is 1,800 metres long with 13.5 metres of depth. Width of 250 metres.
• Mercatordok: Quay is 1,800 metres long with 13.5 metres of depth. Width of 250 metres.
• Alphonse Sifferdok: Quay is 4,800 metres long, with 12.5 – 13.5 metres depth. Width of 300 metres.
• Alphonse Sifferdok: Quay is 4,800 metres long, with 12.5 – 13.5 metres depth. Width of 300 metres.
• Grootdok, Noorddok, Middendok and Zuiddok:
• Grootdok, Noorddok, Middendok and Zuiddok:
Total quay length of 6,855 metres. 6,575 metres with 13 metres depth of water, and 280 metres with 8.5 metres depth of water.
Total quay length of 6,855 metres. 6,575 metres with 13 metres depth of water, and 280 metres with 8.5 metres depth of water.
Width: Grootdok: 150 metres
Width: Grootdok: 150 metres
Noorddok: 200 metres
Noorddok: 200 metres
Middendok: 250 metres
Middendok: 250 metres
Zuiddok: 220 metres
Zuiddok: 220 metres
Zuiddok
Middendok Alphonse Sifferdok
Mercatordok
Rodenhuizedok
Noorddok Grootdok
Kluizendok
Zeekanaal Ghent - Terneuzen
• Terneuzen Western Scheldt
Zuiderkanaalhaven
• Hoek
North Sea Port: Terneuzen
North Sea Port: Terneuzen
Ghent-Terneuzen channel (Kanaalzone)
Ghent-Terneuzen channel (Kanaalzone)
• Noorderkanaalhaven: North quay: 170 metres; South quay: 192 metres.
• Noorderkanaalhaven: North quay: 170 metres; South quay: 192 metres.
• Zuiderkanaalhaven: North quay: 225 metres; South quay: 230 metres.
• Zuiderkanaalhaven: North quay: 225 metres; South quay: 230 metres.
• Massagoedhaven: 978 metres.
• Massagoedhaven: 978 metres.
• Zevenaarhaven: North quay: 421 metres and 555 metres; South quay: 259 metres.
• Zevenaarhaven: North quay: 421 metres and 555 metres; South quay: 259 metres.
• Axelse Vlaktehaven: 290 metres.
• Axelse Vlaktehaven: 290 metres.
• Autrichehaven: 850 metres.
• Autrichehaven: 850 metres.
Braakmanhaven
Braakmanhaven
Braakmanhaven is part of North Sea Port, located directly on Western ScheIdt with no locks. Four berths for seagoing vesseIs and three berths for inland vessels.
Braakmanhaven is part of North Sea Port, located directly on Western ScheIdt with no locks. Four berths for seagoing vesseIs and three berths for inland vessels.
• Scheldt Jetty: 0ne berth for vessels up to 22,500 dwt or 200 metres LOA.
• Dow’s Scheldt Jetty: One berth for vessels up to 22,500 dwt or 200 metres LOA.
• Oceandock: North and south berths.
• Dow’s Oceandock: North and south berths.
• Zeeland Container Terminal: 185 metres.
• Zeeland Container Terminal: 185 metres.
• 0iltanking Jetties: Jetty 0tter 1 and Jetty 0tter 2.
• EVOS Terneuzen.
• Braakman: Docks A, B and C.
• Dow’s Braakman: Docks A, B and C.
• Westdorpe
Sluiskil •
Zelzate
Sas van Gent
Autrichehaven
Zijkanaal C
Zijkanaal E
Zijkanaal H
Zijkanaal B
Zijkanaal D
Massagoedhaven
Noorderkanaalhaven
Zijkanaal A
Braakmanhaven
Zevenaarhaven
Zijkanaal G
Zijkanaal F
• Middelburg
Lewedorp •
• Oost-Souburg
Vlissingen
• Vlissingen
• Ritthem
• Ritthem
W es t ers c he lde
• Nieuw- en Sint Joosland
• Nieuw- en Sint Joosland
• Nieuwdorp
• Nieuwdorp ’s-Heerenhoek •
’s-Heerenhoek •
• Borssele
• Borssele
Vlissingen port area
North Sea Port: Vlissingen
Vlissingen
North Sea Port: Vlissingen
• Sloehaven: Suitable for alI kinds of transshipment including LPG and chemical bulk 920 metres of quay. Cobelfret RoRo jetties: Four berths.
• Sloehaven: Suitable for alI kinds of transshipment including LPG and chemical bulk 920 metres of quay. Cobelfret RoRo jetties: Four berths.
920 metres of quay.
• Bijleveldhaven: 1,980 metres of quay. North bank is 300 metres long.
• Sloehaven: Suitable for alI kinds of transshipment including LPG and chemical bulk 920 metres of quay. Cobelfret RoRo jetties: Four berths.
• Bijleveldhaven: 1,980 metres of quay. North bank is 300 metres long. Can accommodate largest reefer vessels.
• Bijleveldhaven: 1,980 metres of quay. North bank is 300 metres long.
• Bijleveldhaven: 1,980 metres of quay. North bank is 300 metres long.
• Westhofhaven: 475 metres of quay. Can accommodate largest reefer vessels. East side jetty for discharging peat and general cargo quay.
• Westhofhaven: 475 metres of quay. Can accommodate largest reefer vessels. East side jetty for discharging peat and general cargo quay.
• Westhofhaven: 475 metres of quay. Can accommodate large offshore vessels.
• Kaloothaven: 1,130 metres of quay.
• Kaloothaven: 1,130 metres of quay. Two jetties on south bank, one for inland barges.
• Kaloothaven: 1,130 metres of quay. Two jetties on south bank, one for inland barges.
Westhofhaven: 475 metres of quay. Can accommodate largest reefer vessels. East side jetty for discharging peat and general cargo quay.
• Scaldiahaven: Over 1,700 metres of quay. South side used by Verbrugge for handling and storage of cellulose and metals. Transverse quay is 250 metres long.
• Scaldiahaven: Over 1,700 metres of quay. South side used by Verbrugge for handling and storage of cellulose and metals. Transverse quay is 250 metres long.
• Scaldiahaven: Over 1,700 metres of quay. South side used by Verbrugge for handling and storage of cellulose and metals. Transverse quay is 250 metres long.
• Kaloothaven: 1,130 metres of quay. Two jetties on south bank, one for inland barges.
• Van Citterskanaal/haven: Six jetties for inland vessels and coasters. 0n south bank, 275 metres. 0n north bank, 200 metres. Heerema quay: 230 metres and 220 metres.
• Van Citterskanaal/haven: Six jetties for inland vessels and coasters. 0n south bank, 275 metres. 0n north bank, 200 metres. Heerema quay: 230 metres and 220 metres.
• Van Citterskanaal/haven: Six jetties for inland vessels and coasters. 0n south bank, 275 metres. 0n north bank, 200 metres. Heerema quay: 230 metres and 220 metres.
• Scaldiahaven: Over 1,700 metres of quay. South side used handling and storage of cellulose and metals. Transverse quay is 250 metres long.
• Quarleshaven: Extension of Sloehaven to NNE, 315 metres of quay. Set of two mooring buoys on east bank with a span of 320 metres. Zalco quay: East bank, length of 150 metres. Vopak Terminal VIissingen: Four LPG jetties.
• Quarleshaven: Extension of Sloehaven to NNE, 315 metres of quay. Set of two mooring buoys on east bank with a span of 320 metres. Zalco quay: East bank, length of 150 metres. Vopak Terminal VIissingen: Four LPG jetties.
• Quarleshaven: Extension of Sloehaven to NNE, 315 metres of quay. Set of two mooring buoys on east bank with a span of 320 metres. Zalco quay: East bank, length of 150 metres. Vopak Terminal VIissingen: Four LPG jetties.
• Van Citterskanaal/haven: Six jetties for inland vessels and coasters. 0n south bank, 275 metres. 0n north bank, 200 metres. Quay: 230 metres and 220 metres.
• Zeeland Refinery Pier: Located on Western Scheldt. Accommodates tankers up to 100,000 dwt with maximum LOA of 280 metres.
• Quarleshaven: Extension of Sloehaven to NNE, 315 metres of quay. Set of two mooring buoys on east bank with a span of 320 metres.
• Zeeland Refinery Pier: Located on Western Scheldt. Accommodates tankers up to 100,000 dwt with maximum LOA of 280 metres.
• Zeeland Refnery Pier: Located on Western Scheldt. Accommodates tankers up to 100,000 dwt with maximum LOA of 280 metres.
• Buitenhaven: Located outside lock system with direct access to sea, 300 metres of quay. Northern basin has area for coasters and Iighters. Vesta also operates an oil jetty for tankers.
• Zeeland Refinery Pier: Located on Westernscheldt River. Accommodates tankers up to 100,000 dwt with maximum LOA of 280 metres.
• Buitenhaven: Located outside lock system with direct access to sea, 300 metres of quay. Northern basin has area for coasters and Iighters. Vesta also operates an oil jetty for tankers.
• Buitenhaven: Located outside lock system with direct access to sea, 300 metres of quay. Northern basin has area for coasters and Iighters. Vesta also operates an oil jetty for tankers.
• Buitenhaven: Located outside lock system with direct access to sea, 300 metres of quay. Northern basin has area for coasters and Iighters. Vesta also operates an oil jetty for tankers.
Sloehaven
Buitenhaven
Quarleshaven
Bijleveldhaven
Westhofhaven
Van Cittershaven
Van Citterskanaal
Scaldiahaven
Zeeland Refinery Pier
Sloehaven
Buitenhaven
Quarleshaven
Westhofhaven
Van Cittershaven
Scaldiahaven
Zeeland Refinery Pier
Van Citterskanaal
Kaloothaven
The Promotion Council North Sea Port is pleased to welcome new members. Founded in 1993, the Promotion Council North Sea Port represents members located in North Sea Port. Together they offer a complete range of the best possible port facilities and all the logistics solutions you need. See pages 61-64 for a complete list of members.
➔ VOLTH2
➔ VAN MOER LOGISTICS
VoltH2 is committed to developing and operating green hydrogen plants in Europe. The company focuses exclusively on the large-scale production of green hydrogen. This hydrogen is intended for use by local industry and the transport sector. The frst two production facilities are currently being developed within North Sea Port (Vlissingen and Terneuzen). These plants are already licensed and are expected to be operational in 2026. Scalability has been taken into account in the design of both installations: in
the initial phase, each installation will produce nearly 2kg million (1,890t) of green hydrogen per year. In time, production will be expanded to grow along with the market for green hydrogen. VoltH2 also is developing green hydrogen plants in Delfzijl, and in Germany in Wilhelmshaven, Essen, and Gelsenkirchen. With these six locations VoltH2 has a portfolio with a potential production capacity of over 500MW.
I. VOLTH2.COM
Van Moer Logistics is a growing logistics service provider offering tailor-made logistics solutions. The group is active in transport, distribution, warehousing, intermodal logistics and tank container logistics. Jo Van Moer and Anne Verstraeten founded the company in 1990 with one truck and grew into a signifcant player within the ports of Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels. With 40 locations, Van Moer Logistics concentrates on building
long-term partner relationships where it listens to its customers’ needs to further optimise their processes. The group now has 500 trucks, 800,000m2 of warehouse space and nine barges. Together with 2,200 employees, Jo Van Moer and Anne Verstraeten continue to build their family business every day with a sustainable and innovative vision.
I. VANMOER.COM
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Members of Promotion Council North Sea Port
5G Multimodal
www.5gmultimodal.com
A.C. Rijnberg transportservice B.V. www.rijnberg.com
Aannemingsmaatschappij Van Gelder B.V. www.vangelder.com
ABAB Accountants en Adviseurs www.abab.nl
ABN AMRO www.abnamro.nl
Access World Terminals B.V. www.accessworld.com
Adriaanse & van der Weel Advocaten www.avdw.nl
Aerssens & Partners www.aenpmakelaars.nl
Aertssen Kranen N.V. www.aertssen.be
Agro Minne www.agro-minne.be
AmSpec PMI B.V. www.polarismarineinspections.nl
ASD Group / Vervaeke www.industrial.vervaeke.be
Atlas Professionals www.atlasprofessionals.com
AXXAZ www.axxaz.nl
Baker Tilly N.V. www.bakertilly.nl
BMD Advies www.bmdzuid.nl
Boels Rental B.V. www.boels.com
Boluda Towage Europe www.boluda.eu
Bouwgroep Peters B.V. www.bouwgroep-peters.nl
BOW Terminal www.bowterminal.nl
Brandwacht Huren België www.brandwachthuren.be
Brandwacht Huren Nederland www.brandwachthuren.nl
Cemminerals N.V. www.cemminerals.be
Clarksons Port Services BV www.clarksons.com
CLdN www.cldn.com
COMCAM International www.comcamenergy.com
Competence Development Center www.bbeu-cdc.org
Control Union Belgium N.V. www.petersoncontrolunion.com
Cordeel Nederland B.V. www.cordeel.nl
C.T.O.B. Transport & Logistics www.ctob-logistics.com
Customs Support Terneuzen www.customssupport.com
Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen www.damen.com
Danser Group www.danser.nl
DB Cargo Belgium B.V. www.dbgargo.com
DB Cargo Nederland N.V. www.nldb.cargo.com
De Baerdemaecker N.V. www.stukwerkers.com
De Pooter Personeelsdiensten www.depooter.nl
De Ruyter Training & Consultancy www.drtc.nl
De Zeeuwse Alliantie Notarissen www.dezeeuwsealliantie.nl
Delta Safe Security Services B.V. www.delta-safe.nl
DEME Environmental N.V. www.deme-group.com
DFDS Belgium N.V. www.dfds.com
DHG www.dhg.nl
dNM www.dnm.nl
DOC Logistics B.V. www.dutchcontractors.com
DOW Benelux B.V. www.dow.com
Draftec B.V. www.draftec.nl
DRV Accountants & Adviseurs www.drv.nl
Dutch Marine B.V. www.dutchmarinebv.com
E.I.B. Insulation N.V. www.eib-group.eu
Elloro www.elloro.nl
Elopak B.V. www.elopak.com
ELTEN Benelux B.V. www.elten.com
Embedded Coaching & Consultancy www.ecc-coach.nl
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Members of Promotion Council North Sea Port
EP NL Sloe centrale B.V.
www.epnl.nl
Epesi B.V. www.epesi.nl
Equans www.equans.be
Euro-Mit Staal B.V. www.euro-mit-staal.com
Euro-Rijn Global Logistics www.eurorijngroup.com
Euro-Silo N.V. www.eurosilo.be
Evolution Terminals B.V. www.evoterminals.com
Evos Ghent N.V. www.evos.eu
Evos Terneuzen B.V. www.evos.eu
Fertilife Benelux B.V.
Feyter Group www.feyter.com
FincoEnergies Marine www.fncofuel.com
Firma Klouwers Terneuzen www.klouwers.nl
Flushing Shipping Agencies www.fsagencies.com
FMJ E & I Zeeland B.V. www.fmj.nl
Geodetics Construction Maintenance www.gcm.be
Ghent Transport & Storage N.V. www.gtsghent.be
Global Port Training B.V. www.globalporttraining.com
Gould services www.foundgould.com
Green Blue Ofshore Terminal www.greenblueot.nl
H4A www.h4a.nl
Havenwerk B.V. www.havenwerk.nl
Hendrik Veder Group Vlissingen www.hendrikvedergroup.com
Henk Kramer Communicatie www.henkkramer.nl
Heros Sluiskil B.V. www.heros.nl
Heylen Warehouses www.heylenwarehouses.com
Holland Shipyards www.hollandshipyardsgroup.com
Hoondert ‘s-Heerenhoek www.kampsstraalbedrijf.nl
Hoondert Services & Decommissioning www.hsd.nl
HR Expat Services www.hrxpats.com
Hudig & Veder Chartering B.V. www.hudigveder.nl
IBS Staalbouw B.V. www.ibs-hallenbouw.nl
ICL-IP Terneuzen B.V. www.iclip-terneuzen.nl
IGL B.V. www.igl.nl
Impuls Zeeland www.impulszeeland.nl
ING Business Banking www.ing.nl/zakelijk
Ingenieurbureau Walhout Civil B.V. www.walhoutcivil.com
Interface Terminal Gent (ITG) www.stukwerkers.com
Interlashing B.V. www.interlashing.com
IPC Services België B.V. www.ipc-services.be
Istimewa Electrotechniek B.V. www.istimewa-elektro.nl
Jonkman Opleidingen B.V. www.jonkmanopleidingen.nl
Justion Advocaten www.justionadvocaten.nl
Juust B.V. www.juust.nl
Kamps Straal- en Industriële Spuitwerken www.kampsstraalbedrijf.nl
Katoen Natie Westerschelde B.V. www.katoennatie.com
Koch adviesgroep Ingenieurs & Architecten www.kochadviesgroep.nl
Koolwijk Shipstores B.V. www.shipstores.nl
KWS Infra/Aquavia www.kws.nl
Labojuice B.V. www.labojuice.nl
Lalemant N.V., Lalemant Trucking N.V. www.lalemant.com
Legrant Freight Management B.V. www.legrant.eu
LGH BVBA www.lgh.eu
Liftal Hijstechniek www.liftal.com
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Members of Promotion Council North Sea Port
Lineage Logistics Vlissingen
www.kloosterboer.nl
Lion Storage Netherlands B.V. www.lion-storage.nl
Loodswezen Regio Scheldemonden www.loodswezen.nl
Luctor Belting Nederland B.V. www.luctorbelting.com
Maaskade Bevrachters Belgium www.maaskade.com
Maaskade Group www.maaskadegroup.com
Mammoet Nederland B.V. www.mammoet.com
Maritiem & Logistiek College de Ruyter www.scalda.nl
Maritiem Muzeeum Zeeland www.muzeeum.nl
Martens Renewables www.martenscleaning.nl
MasChem B.V. www.musimmas.com
Media58 B.V. www.media58.nl
Mervielde N.V. www.mervielde.be
Meyland N.V. www.meyland.be
MMPS www.mmps.nl
Montis Mooring- and Boatservice B.V. www.montismooring.com
Multraship Towage & Salvage www.multraship.com
Municipality of Borsele www.borsele.nl
Municipality of Middelburg www.middelburg.nl
Municipality of Terneuzen www.terneuzen.nl
Municipality of Vlissingen www.vlissingen.nl
Navonus N.V. www.navonus.be
North Sea Port www.northseaport.com
North Sea Port www.northseaporttalent.eu
Northfreeze N.V. www.northfreeze-group.com
N.V. Westerscheldetunnel www.westerscheldetunnel.nl
Oceanwide Personnel Services B.V. www.oceanwidecrew.com
Oliehandel Dekker B.V. www.oliehandeldekker.nl
OMC Services B.V. www.linkedin.com/in/chvdo
Onilio | Hotels – Appartementen – Vakantieparken www.onilio.nl
Ørsted Nederland www.orsted.nl
Outokumpu Stainless B.V. www.outokumpu.com
Ovet B.V. www.ovet.nl
Ovet Shipping B.V. www.ovetshipping.com
Pantank www.pantank.be
Pfauth Logistics B.V. www.pfauth.nl
Premier Modular B.V. www.premiermodular.nl
PreZero www.prezero.nl
Prior Group www.priorgroup.nl
Projectontwikkeling Herengracht B.V.
PTC B.A. www.ptcba.nl
Rabobank Oosterschelde www.rabobank.nl/oosterschelde
Rabobank Walcheren-Noord Beveland www.rabobank.nl/wnb
Rabobank Zeeuws-Vlaanderen www.rabobank.nl
Royal HaskoningDHV Nederland B.V. www.royalhaskoningdhv.com
S.T.T. B.V. www.agency-stt.com
Sagro Aannemingsmij. Zeeland B.V. www.sagro.nl
Sarens Nederland www.sarens.com
Saybolt Nederland B.V. www.corelab.com/rd/saybolt
Schelde Exotech www.exotech.nl
Schipper Groep www.schippergroep.nl
SEA-invest www.sea-invest.com
Seatrade Rotterdam B.V. www.seatraderotterdam.nl
SEC Catering www.seccatering.nl
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Secil Cement
www.secil.pt
SFP Zeeland www.sfp-group.nl
SGS Nederland B.V. www.sgs.com
Shipyard Reimerswaal www.shipyardreimerswaal.com
Simons Bouwgroep B.V. www.simonsbg.nl
Smulders Projects Netherlands B.V. www.smulders.com
Solinoor B.V. www.solinoor.com
Sorteerbedrijf Vlissingen B.V. www.sorteerbedrijfvlissingen.nl
SPIE Nederland B.V. www.spie-nl.com
Stukwerkers Havenbedrijf N.V. www.stukwerkers.com
Supermaritime Nederland B.V. www.supermaritime.com
Swagemakers Intermodaal Transport B.V. www.swagemakers.nl
Sweco Nederland B.V. www.sweco.nl
T.I.M.E. Service Catalyst Handling B.V. www.ts-cat.com
Tanido B.V. Sworn Marine Surveyors www.tanido.com
Tank Terminal Sluiskil www.tankterminal-sluiskil.nl
Tauris B.V. www.tauris.be
Terberg Tractors Belgium www.terbergspecialvehicles.com
Terneuzen Port Service www.terneuzenportservice.nl
Terneuzen Processing Technologies www.tpt.nl
The Safety Network www.thesafetynetwork.nl
Timmerman Industrial Repairs www.ltimmerman.nl
TOS Port & Logistics B.V. www.tos.nl
Transuniverse Group N.V. www.transuniverse.be
Tri-Modal Containerterminal Terneuzen www.vlaeynatie.eu
TSA Safety Services B.V. www.tsa-bv.nl
UWV EURES Goes www.uwv.nl
Van Ameyde Marine Vlissingen www.ameydemarine.com
van Hoorebeke Timber N.V. www.vanhoorebeke.com
Van Keulen Transport B.V. www.vankeulentransport.nl
Van Moer Logistics www.vanmoer.com
Vandeputte Safety Experts www.vdp.com
Verbrugge Internationale Wegtransporten B.V. www.verbruggeinternational.com
Verbrugge Marine B.V. www.verbruggeinternational.com
Verbrugge Terminals B.V. www.verbruggeinternational.com
Verenigde Bootlieden B.V. www.bootlieden.nl
Vlaeynatie B.V. www.vlaeynatie.eu
Vlissingse Bootliedenwacht B.V. www.vlb.vlissingen.nl
VoltH2 Operating B.V. www.volth2.com
Wagenborg Agencies B.V. www.wagenborg.com
Water-Link www.water-link.be/industry
Westerschelde Ferry B.V. www.westerscheldeferry.nl
Wielemaker B.V. www.wielemaker.nl
Wilhelmsen Port Services B.V. www.wilhelmsen.com/port-services/
Witte-Boussen Assurantiën B.V. www.witteboussen.nl
XL Group Vlaanderen www.xlgroupvlaanderen.be
Yellow & Finch Publishers www.ynfpublishers.com
Zeeland Connect www.zeeland-connect.nl
Zeeland Cruising B.V. www.zeelandcruising.nl
Zeeland Maritime Cleaning www.zmcleaning.nl
Zeeland Refnery www.zeelandrefnery.nl
Zeeland Sugar Terminal www.vlaeynatie.eu
Zéfranco Communicatieservice Frans www.zefranco.com
ZTZ Logistics B.V. www.ztzlogistics.com
Our pilots know each bend in the Western Scheldt
About PortNews
Covering the port area of North Sea Port, PortNews is the official publication of the Promotion Council North Sea Port and port authority North Sea Port.
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Distributed to a wide international audience, the high quality quarterly magazine promotes the activities of companies active in the ports to key customers, business partners, stakeholders, as well as at major international trade events. PortNews is available in hard copy as well as a digital version. Each issue has approximately 10,000 readers.
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Contact:
• Henk de Haas, Chairman, Promotion Council North Sea Port
• Michael Moreau, Communication Manager, North Sea Port
• Charles van den Oosterkamp, Director, OMC Services BV
Special thanks to everyone who kindly contributed their time and expertise to put together this issue of PortNews. Find out more about contributing to future issues of PortNews by contacting Charles van den Oosterkamp, info@omc-services.com, tel. +31 (0)6 10 979 655.
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PortNews is a production of OMC Services BV on behalf of the Promotion Council North Sea Port and North Sea Port. The opinions expressed in PortNews are not necessarily those of the Editorial Committee or the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in PortNews, no liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions.
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Charles van den Oosterkamp
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Arno Dirkzwager
Ben Littler
Tamara De Maesschalck
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Limit Fotografie
Mark Neelemans Fotografie
Fabienne Ruinard
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