The port lies on the Belgian North Sea coast, 22.5 km West of
the Scheldt estuary and 10 km West of the Belgian-Dutch border.
Maritime access begins at Zeebrugge Pilot Station, 14 miles
North-west of the port.
 Every
year, 2.4 million tons of goods are supplied or transported
aboard both Rhine barges and sea-going barges. Rhine barges
of up to 90 TEU serve destinations in the Netherlands, Germany,
France and Switzerland. It takes 5 or 6 days to reach Basel.
Sea-going barges (low-airdraft coasters) have a capacity of
up to 200 TEU and reach destinations along the Rhine, as far
as Karlsruhe, via an overseas route to Rotterdam. In addition,
short-sea coasters transport container volumes to overseas European
destinations. Pure inland navigation in Zeebrugge includes in
particular the transport of bulk cargo such as construction
materials and agricultural products.
 Since
inland navigation can relieve the overburdened motorways to
a considerable extent, the Port Authority is making great efforts
with a view to the transport of even more containers and new
cars in this environment-friendly manner to and from Zeebrugge
in the future. In the short term, sea-going barges (rivercrafts
that reach the Rhine estuary overseas) can offer a solution,
subject to a financial commitment by e.g. the Flemish Region.
In the long term, the Port Authority of Zeebrugge aims at creating
a new canal connection (parallel to the N49) with the Ghent-Terneuzen
canal as a permanent solution. This new canal for multiple barge
convoy sets must connect the inner port of Zeebrugge with the
maritime Scheldt and the extensive European network of inland
waterways.
Road Transport
 The
port has excellent connections with the large European traffic
arteries (E 40, N 49, E17 and
A 17). Each year, more than one million truck loads, which
mainly make use of the wide range of roro services, pass through
the port of Zeebrugge. About 80% of roro traffic relates to
unaccompanied transports; road transport by itself accounts
for 63 % of the total hinterland traffic. For these reasons,
many road transport companies have established a branch in
the port, in the Transport Zone of Zeebrugge or in the surrounding
area. With a view to the expected traffic growth, a number
of improvements to the road infrastructure are essential:
the removal of the junctions on the N31, the conversion of
the southern port ring-road into a one-way road, the 2 x 2
connection to Westkapelle and the transformation of the N49
into a fully fledged motorway.
Rail Transport
 In
Zeebrugge, rail transport is a very important partner for
the supply and transport of maritime cargo. In 2000, 205,000
railway wagons accounted for a cargo volume of 5 million tons,
or 14 % of the hinterland traffic.
More than 65 % of these wagons involve the transport of containers.
Via the ‘North European Network’ (NEN), Zeebrugge
is connected with important inland terminals such as Antwerp,
Athus, Duisburg, Muizen, Bressoux, Mouscron and Genk by means
of daily block trains. From these railway platforms, the containers
are further distributed over the European continent. The transport
of new cars represents about 40,000 wagons (20 %), whereas
combined transport (trailers on track) accounts for 20,000
movements (10 %). Furthermore, rail also plays an important
role in the transport of conventional cargo (fruit, sugar,
paper pulp, pipes,…).
As rail traffic continues to grow, the Port Authority pleads
for the construction of a third track between Zeebrugge and
Bruges and for the extension of the section between Bruges
and Ghent by a third and fourth track. In the port itself,
the marshalling yard is in need of urgent modernisation for
the efficient arrangement of wagons into long block trains.
- Hydraulic Works The Zeebrugge port authority is
regulary calling for tenders with regard to works in the port.
The regulation with regard to government assignments apply
to these works.
A call for tenders is made every year for all kind of maintenance
works. The procedure of limited tender is usually applicable.
Extension and new development works are called for, whenever
needed. This happens in dialogue or otherwise with the services
of the Flemish Community, which subsidize particular works
in the several Flemish ports.
For more information on the works in Zeebrugge, the following
sources can be consulted:
- 'Bulletin der Aanbestedingen' (Belgian law gazette)
- The specialist journals (like 'De Bouwkroniek' a.o.)
- The technical department of M.B.Z.
Next to this, several private companies and public bodies
in the port guarantee specialized service to the ships calling
at Zeebrugge.
- Bunkering: permanent supply
of fuel and lubricating oil to vessels, both with barges and
by pipeline.
- Water supply: supply of drinking
water to vessels, with tap water or by tankers.
- Port reception facilities:
solutions for waste from shipping and port-related industries.
Cleaning of tanks, holds and engine rooms.
- Boatmen: safe mooring of
vessels
- Marine equipment and shipchandlers
- Ship repair, container repair
- Dredging, diving
- Tallying, inspection and survey:
stating and preventing of damage during transport.
- Lashing, securing and packing:
seaworthy stowage of cargo
(Comparison 2001 - 2002 , Period Jan-Dec)
| Total |
|
|
|
Break up
into IN-OUT |
| |
2002 |
2001 |
+/- |
%-difference |
| Roro |
13,650,611 |
14,347,370 |
-696,759 |
-4.86% |
| Containers |
11,864,805 |
10,585,383 |
1,279,422 |
12.09% |
| General Cargo |
785,892 |
1,031,786 |
-245,894 |
-23.83% |
| Liquid Bulk |
4,921,886 |
4,139,678 |
782,208 |
18.90% |
| Dry Bulk |
1,711,807 |
1,975,855 |
-264,048 |
-13.36% |
| Total |
32,935,001 |
32,080,072 |
854,929 |
2.66% |
|
|
