Deurganckdock opens – finally
After a decade of hopes and plans, Antwerp has officially opened the Deurganckdock, intending to relieve northwest European port congestion. The dock adds 1.4m TEUs of capacity to the market, and Antwerps capacity is expected to eventually double.
The E470m Vuosaari Harbour project will sweep up cargo operations from the existing city centre North and West Harbours, which are constrained by the surrounding city.
At present the port averages 540,000 TEUs a month, but has been bursting at the seams. Terminal operators were having to turn down business. Now, however, the monthly levels are swinging back up.
The Antwerp Gateway is the consortium holding the concession for the eastern side of the Dock – it has invested €530m, € 170m being ploughed into the first phase. This phase will see the completion of 1,650 metres of quay and 78 ha, ending up with 125ha giving Antwerp Gateway partners 3.5 TEUs capacity. Phase two will be wrapped up in 2006. The project will be fully completed in 2010 and will boast six berths, a quay line of 2,500 metres and a draught of 17 metres. By the end of this year three hundred new jobs will be created, expanding to 1,500 when the terminal is at its full capacity.
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