Port of Antwerp Receives ‘Best India Focused Foreign Port’ Award

The prestigious Maritime & Logistics Awards (MALA) were presented in Mumbai for the fourth time on 6 September this year. At this event Marc Van Peel, chairman of Antwerp Port Authority, and Raj Khalid, the port’s representative in India, accepted the award for “Best India Focused Foreign Port.”

In his acceptance speech Marc Van Peel emphasised that the decision in 2006 to further reinforce the port’s presence in India had clearly been a good one. “This award is confirmation that our permanent presence in India through our office in Mumbai was the correct strategic choice,” he declared. As the second largest port in Europe we are also the leading European port for India, a position which we seek to maintain and further develop.”

In addition to commercial relations with India, the City of Antwerp and Antwerp Port Authority both attach great importance to cultural relations with that country. “Trade and art are closely intertwined. Both as a city and as a port we are very proud of the exhibition “Flemish Masterpieces from Antwerp” that is due to open here in November, declared the port alderman. The exhibition, which includes 40 or so exclusive 17th-century paintings by among others Rubens, Jordaens and Tainiers, will be opened by Princess Astrid of Belgium on 27 November.

The presentation of the Maritime & Logistics Awards brings together representatives from the Indian and international world of logistics and shipping. More information about the awards can be found at www.mala-awards.com. The original press release issued by the organisation on the occasion of the presentation can be found in attachment.

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Port of Antwerp, September 17, 2013