Port of Zeebrugge | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Belgium |
Location | Bruges, Flanders |
Coordinates | 51°17′35″N3°12′35″E / 51.29306°N 3.20972°E |
UN/LOCODE | BEZEE [1] |
Statistics | |
Annual cargo tonnage | over 50 million tonnes (2012) [2] |
Website www.zeebruggeport.be |
The Port of Zeebrugge (also referred to as the Port of Bruges or Bruges Seaport) is a large container, bulk cargo, new vehicles and passenger ferry terminal port on the North Sea. The port is located in the municipality of Bruges, West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, handling over 50 million tonnes of cargo annually. [3]
The port of Zeebrugge is managed by the port authority MBZ (Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeehaven - translated: 'Company of the Bruges Seaport'), an autonomous company regulated by public law, the city of Bruges being the main shareholder.
Zeebrugge is a multifaceted port that handles a wide range of trades: unit loads (trailers and containers), new cars, conventional general cargo, 'high & heavy' cargoes, dry and liquid bulk cargoes and natural gas. From a purely transit port Zeebrugge has gradually evolved into a centre for European distribution.
The port has become a major European port since major development works were carried in the 1972 to 1985 period. Since then total tonnage has doubled. As of 2008, Bruges-Zeebrugge is one of the fastest growing ports between Le Havre and Hamburg. [4] It is Europe's leading RoRo port, handling 12.5 million mt in 2010, and the world's largest port for imports and exports of new vehicles, with over 1.6 million units handled in 2010 (24.5% less than in 2008 due to the economical crises). It is also Europe's largest terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG), [5] receiving natural gas from the Troll gas field via the 814-kilometre (506 mi; 440 nmi) long Zeepipe under the North Sea. LNG is also delivered in specialized gas tankers from various origins, like Africa, Australia or the Middle East. Zeebrugge counts as one of the most important ports in Europe for containerized cargo as well, handling over 2.5 million TEUs in 2010.
The port employs directly over 11,000 people and handles over 10,000 ship moorings annually. Together with the indirect employees, the port creates over 28,000 jobs.
The most important functions of the port are:
The port complex of Bruges-Zeebrugge offers several main assets, which will allow volumes to develop even further in the years to come, namely,
The following ferry operators operate regular scheduled, international routes to and from Zeebrugge.
Operator | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|
Cobelfret | Dublin, Esbjerg, Gothenburg, Hirtshals, Killingholme, Purfleet, Santander | |
DFDS Seaways | Rosyth | No longer operating since 2018 |
Finnlines | Helsinki, Tilbury | |
P&O Ferries | Middlesbrough, Teesport, Tilbury | |
Terminal | Type | Website |
---|---|---|
Outer port | ||
Zeebrugge International Port (ZIP) | paper and multi-purpose terminal | [6] |
Zeebrugge International Port (ZIP) | deepsea container terminal | [7] |
Container Handling Zeebrugge (CHZ) | deepsea container terminal | [8] |
Verbrugge Terminals Zeebrugge | breakbulk terminal | [9] |
APM Terminals Zeebrugge | deepsea container terminal | [10] |
P&O Ferries | roro terminal | [11] |
DFDS Seaways | roro terminal | [12] |
Fluxys - LNG Terminal | terminal for liquefied natural gas | [13] |
C.RO Terminal Brittaniadok, Hermeskaai, Minervaplein | roro terminal | [14] |
C.RO Terminal Zweedse Kaai | roro terminal | [14] |
Euroservices NV | terminal for the purging of gas-carriers | [15] |
Inner port Zeebrugge | ||
ICO Terminals Northern Inlet dock | roro terminal for new cars and breakbulk | [16] |
ICO Terminals Bastenakenkade | roro terminal for new cars | [17] |
Sea-Invest, Belgian New Fruit Wharf | terminal for general cargo and fruit | [18] |
Sea-Invest, Flanders Cold Center - Tropicana | terminal for general cargo packing installation for fruit juices | [19] |
Tate & Lyle Molasses | terminal for molasses | [20] |
Vlaamse Visveiling | fish auction | [21] |
Zeebrugge Food Logistics | deepfreeze warehouse | [22] |
Hanson Europe | sand and gravel terminal | [23] |
Borlix | terminal for agricultural products | [24] |
Decloedt Dredging | maintenance and storage facility | [25] |
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics | roro terminal for new cars | [26] |
C.RO Terminal Canadakaai | roro terminal for new cars | [14] |
Fluxys - peak shaving installation | terminal for storage of liquefied natural gas | [27] |
Gassco | terminal for the gas pipeline "Zeepipe" from Norway | [28] |
Toyota | dedicated autoterminal | [29] |
CdMZ | roro terminal for new cars | [30] |
Seabridge/Efico | terminal for storage and distribution of green coffee | [31] |
Bridgestone Logistics | terminal for storage of tyres | [32] |
Brit European Transport | international transport, storage and distribution of floor coverings | [33] |
Progeco | container depot at Jozef Verschaeveweg | [34] |
Transportzone Zeebrugge | ||
Interconnector | terminal for gas pipeline "Interconnector" from Bacton (UK) | [35] |
European Container Services ECS | intermodal transport and logistics | [36] |
2XL | intermodal transport and logistics | [37] |
Middlegate Europe | intermodal transport and logistics | [38] |
Huktra | intermodal transport of tank containers | [39] |
North Sea Express | international transport | [40] |
Britlink | international transport | [41] |
Inner port Bruges | ||
Nieuwpoortse Handelsmaatschappij | sand and gravel terminal | [42] |
Alzagri | sand and gravel terminal | [43] |
Hanson | sand and gravel terminal | [23] |
Seaport Shipping & Trading | terminal for general cargo, project cargo and bulk cargo | [44] |
Minne Port Services | terminal for general cargo, project cargo and bulk cargo | [45] |
Beveco | peat terminal | [46] |
Denolf Recycling | recycling terminal | [47] |
Flanders Ship Repair / Longueville | ship repair | [48] |
Marpos | waste treatment | [49] |
Tomar Kolen | coal terminal | [50] |
ABN Transport | exceptional transport | [51] |
Solid | timber terminal | [52] |
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