Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges ports call on EU to invest in industry competitiveness

The Dutch Port of Rotterdam and the Belgian Port of Antwerp-Bruges are calling on the European Commission (EC) to make large-scale investments in the competitiveness of industry in Europe.

As disclosed, the ports want the EC to take an approach that focuses on strengthening international chains and industrial clusters, rather than specific sectors or regions. Moreover, they want to take the lead in this cross-border approach by working together more intensively.

On behalf of both ports, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Erasmus University Rotterdam (Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics) carried out research into the position and value of the joint port complexes. The study showed that both ports should be seen as an integrated logistics and industrial complex, linked to the broader industrial cluster that extends to the Ruhr region: the Antwerp, Rotterdam, Rhine, Rhur Area (ARRRA) cluster.

According to the Port of Rotterdam, strengthening collaboration between the two parties could unlock benefits for Europe, provided that the right framework is put in place and that Europe invests in connectivity, tackles the regulatory burden and provides stronger support for sustainability investments. This was communicated at an event organized in Brussels, Belgium.

Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam, commented: “Europe faces the challenge of ensuring that the transition to a sustainable economy also safeguards the prosperity and strategic independence of our continent. Significant investments have been made in recent years in our port complexes in this regard, and major projects are now being rolled out. At the same time, we see that the competitiveness of European industry is declining. It is therefore important that ports, national and European governments join forces for a European investment climate in which companies can continue to build for the future.”

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “A systemic port cluster approach contributes to achieving Europe’s goals. The ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam are unique sites where multimodal logistics, energy and industry come together. The transition to a sustainable economy demands cross-border cooperation and a sense of realism. As ports, we want to jointly contribute to anchoring European industry for the future.”

Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, stated: “We’ve reached a juncture where industrial growth with emission reductions is not just a choice. It’s a necessity. For far too long, there’s been a prevailing narrative that business and climate don’t mix. However, with this new Commission, we are writing a different story. As we push ahead towards a cleaner, greener future, we must take all European businesses along with us, from innovative clean tech companies to traditional heavy industries. This is what our new Clean Industrial Deal is about.”

To note, this call comes ahead of the publication of the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal.

In 2024, the deal in question was an important topic among industry players, including the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and European green transport group Transport & Environment (T&E), who called upon European Union (EU) leaders to prioritize clean fuel production as part of the upcoming deal. In a position paper, ECSA put forward several recommendations to support the production and uptake of clean fuels in shipping.

In other news, in December 2024, the Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR) revealed that a year after the opening of the Container Exchange Route (CER), the project is entering a new phase. The PoR announced it will expand the CER with connections to the Distripark Maasvlakte and the ECT Delta terminal/Hutchison Port Delta II terminal via a main gate concept. Reportedly, investments will also be made in the installation of fibre optic and electrical infrastructure. Work is expected to commence in early 2025 and to be completed in phases by the end of 2025.

In 2024, the PoR also set the port’s tariffs for the next three years, placing special emphasis on sustainability. As per Matthijs van Doorn, Commercial Director at the PoR, the port wants to be climate neutral by 2050, while remaining vital and competitive, and the changes to the port tariffs are part of that vision.

As for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, its most recent activities include the welcoming of six new energy-efficient tugboats, including Europe’s first fully electric RSD tugboat, Volta 1. Furthermore, the port partnered up with the Ports of Indiana to advance economic development, container shipping, decarbonization, port security and technology integration.