25-year concession for Zeebrugge development

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics’ (WWL) agreement with the Belgium port will see it develop 49 hectares of land in the inner port known as the Bastenaken West property. WWL, which has worked with the port since 1999, will invest approximately US$20m during the next two to three years.

“The agreement marks the next step in WWL’s long-term commitment to the Port of Zeebrugge, the largest RoRo port in the world, and positions the company for continued growth and expansion all across Northern Europe,” said Ray Fitzgerald, president & COO of WWL Landbased.

New business

WWL has been seeking expansion opportunities within the port, and the concession allows it to attract new business with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other third parties. It aims to almost double its terminal footprint by the end of the agreement in 2043.

Since 1999, WWL has expanded its operations at the port to include vehicle processing, technical services for heavy equipment, and yard management services. To keep up with growing port volumes, WWL has developed specialized service and storage facilities for cars, trucks and heavy equipment.

Zeebrugge, which handled 2.8m units of cargo in 2017, has an established network of deep-sea, short-sea and inland transportation connections.

Joachim Coens, CEO at the Port of Zeebrugge, said: “The new concession agreement marks a great moment for both the Port of Zeebrugge and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, who have been loyal partners these past decades. As a port authority we are very thankful that WWL has chosen Zeebrugge for the expansion, and look forward to working together to make this terminal a success.”