The Sea-invest group has officially inaugurated the Antwerp Container Terminal (ACT) in the Delwaide dock.
“With this terminal we are writing a new chapter of our history in the port of Antwerp,” declared managing director Johan Claes. “Sea-invest started here with bulk activities, then expanded into fruit handling, and several years ago we diversified into tank storage. With ACT we are aiming at pure container activities. We have already built up a great deal of expertise in this sector elsewhere, with among other things handling the three container liner services that call at the BNFW fruit terminal.”
Additional services
Part of the terminal houses the Progeco empty container & repair depot, thus enabling ACT to offer added value for customers. One of the advantages is that not only does Progeco have its own gate on the landward side but also there is access from the waterfront so that containers can be exchanged in either direction.
ACT has also upgraded the 6,000 m² Borealis warehouse that was already present on this site, expanding it with an impressive roofed area of 5,000 m² to permit operations under cover.
Diversification within the container landscape
Johan Claes also emphasised that this container capacity responds to another imperative above and beyond the additional container capacity required by the port.
“With this terminal we aim to serve niche carriers, together with ships that can take a lock passage. In this sense our activities here are complementary to the container activities in the Deurganck dock. Our activities don’t in any way diminish the need to develop the planned Seaftinghe dock so that Antwerp can continue to meet the needs of the worldwide container carriers.”
No waiting times for barges
Antwerp Container Terminal is proud that barge operators will not be confronted with waiting times at the terminal: “We make it a point of honour to handle the barges immediately.”
The container facility is located in the Delwaide dock and covers a total area of 63 hectares with 900 m of quay on the South side and 150 m at the head end of the dock. The terminal is equipped with three gantry cranes, three mobile cranes and 350 reefer connections.
Source: Port of Antwerp