Renovation of Europa Terminal

In order to remain a top-class world port, Port of Antwerp-Bruges must be able to offer its customers a well-functioning infrastructure and additional container capacity. To that end, it is not only expanding, as it is doing in the case of the ECA project, but is also optimising its existing capacity. 

The Europa Terminal commenced operations in 1990 as the first tidal container terminal in Antwerp. At the moment, however, the maximum draught of vessels mooring at its 1200-metre quay wall is limited to 13.5 metres. So that the port is also able to accommodate container shipping with larger draughts, the maximum draught at the terminal's quay wall will be increased to 16 metres – the maximum draught for vessels entering the port.

As vessels must continue to dock while the works are under way in order to load and unload goods and in order to minimise the operational impact, we will be upgrading the quay wall in three major phases. In addition, we will create additional temporary moorings for inland navigation. 

In the first three years of the project, we will tackle the first 450 metres of quay. A temporary water retaining structure will ensure that no debris enters the Scheldt and will protect the works from passing ships and river tides. We will demolish the existing quay wall and equip the new quay wall with crane beams and all necessary ducting and infrastructure for electrification and other optimisations. After that, we will dredge down to the required depth of 17.5 metres and install the new container cranes.

We will then repeat this process for the next 220-metre section of quay wall. Finally, the remaining 530 metres will be upgraded in the same way. These extensive maritime works will take around ten years to complete and have been carefully plotted, based on predicted traffic levels in the coming years.