Ports of Zeebrugge and Ghent (Belgium)
Exceptionally, a day tour by bus was organised this time. This meant getting up early and a long, but certainly not unpleasant bus journey towards Zeebrugge's sea station. Here we were given a presentation with film of this seaport, followed by a guided tour. After a delicious lunch in Knokke-Heist, we then headed for the Ghent Seaport visitor centre. During this ride, an introductory film about this seaport was shown. A similar guided bus tour took place in this port. All in all, a busy but very interesting programme.
Description
During this day trip, we will visit two seaports in Belgium, namely the North Sea port of Zeebrugge and the port of Ghent connected to the Western Scheldt via the Terneuzen-Ghent Canal. We will make the trip jointly by bus. The bus will depart from the Rotterdam Capelse Brug Transferium (see below under "Programme").
After the port of Antwerp, these two seaports are Belgium's next two in terms of cargo traffic, with approx. 45 million tonnes/year of transhipment for Zeebrugge and approx. 50 million tonnes/year for Ghent (of which approx. half is inland navigation).
The port of Zeebrugge owes its existence to the Bruges community's wish to have a connection to the North Sea again after the siltation up of the Zwin. Thus, around 1900 Zeebrugge came into being as a coastal outport which reconnected Bruges with the sea via the Baudouin canal.
Due to the devastation during the two world wars, the port initially did not flourish. However, from 1985 a large-scale expansion of the port got underway, resulting in a substantial increase in scale and a breakthrough at international level.
The port of Ghent stretches for 32 km along both banks of the Ghent-Terneuzen canal, the construction of which started as early as the 19th century. Locks at Terneuzen make it possible to receive seagoing vessels up to Panamax-size in the port. The construction of a new lock for even larger vessels is in the planning stages.
Transhipment in the port of Ghent largely consists of dry and wet bulk goods. It is also home to many companies with a leading international position, such as Europe's largest integrated steelworks
07.20:00 Participants present at departure location P+R Capelse Brug, Rotterdam
07:30 - 10:30 Bus trip from Rotterdam to Zeebrugge (Belgium)
10:30 - 12:30 Reception at Zeebrugge Marine Station. Here first film screening and presentation of the port. Followed by a tour by bus of the port of Zeebrugge with explanations by a guide of the port authority.
12.30 - 13.30h Joint lunch in Knokke-Heist
13.30 - 15.00h Continued bus trip to Ghent Seaport. During this bus ride, the film "Message from Ghent" will be shown as an introduction to the port of Ghent
15.00 - 16.30 h Tour by bus of the port of Ghent with explanations by a Ghent guide
16.30 - 19.00 h Return trip to Rotterdam, Capelse Brug.
Speaker(s)
The address of the departure location in Rotterdam is:
Transferium Rotterdam Capelse Brug
Abram van Rijckevorselplein 46
3065 SM Rotterdam
This location is located directly on the A16 (Capelle a/d IJssel exit) near the Capelse Brug metro station. Parking at this transferium is free of charge. Participants are requested to be there at 07.20 despite the early hour so that we can indeed leave at 07.30 after checking the list of participants and boarding.
We advise participants to drive together to the departure location as much as possible. To do so, after logging on to the website, please consult the contact details of other participants with whom you may be able to combine the approach route
Location
Departure location: Transferium Rotterdam Capelse Brug
Abram van Rijckevorseplein 46, 3065 SM Rotterdam
Organiser
Transport and Logistics
Name and contact details for information
Maarten Willekes at the e-mail address below