Euroports All Weather Terminal a first in Ghent

(Posted on 26/07/18)

Ever since ArcelorMittal Gent was founded in the 1960s, Euroports has been ArcelorMittal's maritime partner for its breakbulk loading and unloading activities. Based on the unique collaboration between ArcelorMittal Gent, Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen (PMV), North Sea Port, and Euroports, the strong partnership between Euroports and ArcelorMittal Gent has been reinforced for dozens of years to come through the realization of the very first roofed loading bay and warehouse in Ghent - the All-Weather Terminal (AWT), a 50+ million euros investment.

Euroports, one of the largest port-infrastructure companies in Europe, develop, operate and manage global maritime supply-chain solutions for a large number of international customers in various industries, handling over 60 million tonnes of bulk, breakbulk, liquid and containerized goods per year.

The new multifunctional terminal will be built next to ArcelorMittal's existing mixed cargo bay and will offer global logistics services to ArcelorMittal Gent and other customers, including both breakbulk transshipment activities and warehousing activities. As a logistics maritime player, Euroports will fulfill operations for the flows from, to and within the AWT. PMV, an investment company founded by the Flemish government with the purpose of investing in infrastructure for sustainable economic development, will be responsible for the design, construction, financing and maintenance of the AWT through AWT Gent. For the operational side, AWT Gent will rely on Euroports’ services.

With a storage capacity of 60,000 tons, the AWT's warehouse will be 240 meters long and 60 meters wide. The warehouse contains 2 tracks for railcars and 3 unloading quays for trucks. Three fully automated travelling cranes handle unloading, sorting and loading of materials. The roofed quay wall will be 200 meters long and the dock will be 25 meters wide. The height will be approximately 30 meters above the water level. Ships with a tonnage of up to 10,000 tonnes will be able to moor at the new quay. The pre-sorting zone will be equipped with 2 automated travelling cranes. Euroports will provide 2 telescopic cranes to load and unload ships. For Euroports, with its own 26 terminals in Europe, this is a significant addition to and expansion of its services to the steel and metal industry.

“Due to many years of experience in the handling of steel through are terminal network, we are able to continuously optimize the supply chain for our customers,” says Geert Gekiere, Managing Director, Euroports Belgium and France. “Therefore, Euroports is particularly pleased to be able to work together with PMV to confirm and continue our collaboration with ArcelorMittal.”

The contract was signed in June, and the environmental permit is now being prepared and applied for, with the intention to start building at the end of 2018. The All Weather Terminal is expected to be operational by mid-2020