WASHINGTON: Antwerp Port Authority announced the appointment of the previous head of Belgium’s national electrical company Jacques Vandermeiren as its new chief executive officer effective from Jan. 1, 2017. Vandermeiren succeeds current CEO Eddy Bruyninckx, who will retire at the end of this year after 25 years at the head of the port.
Vandermeiren takes the reigns of Europe’s second-largest port by tonnage at a time of expanding throughput, albeit in a volatile and increasingly uncertain global shipping and trade environment. He takes over the port at a time when it is aggressively pursuing relationships with cargo sources in developing markets in far flung corners of the world, from China to India and Iran.
“It is certainly an honor for me to face the important local and international challenges for the port authority, in collaboration with the board of directors, the management committee, the personnel and the many stakeholders. Assuring the rich history of the port of Antwerp in a sustainable way in future is a task that I shall assume with pride and determination,” Vandermeiren said in the statement announcing his appointment.
Vandermeiren is a previous CEO of Elia System Operator, the Belgium Stock Exchange-listed company that operates the country’s national electricity grid. His experience in the energy sector and work in a public company would stand him in good stead in his new role as head of the port, the statement said. “These two aspects, combined with the necessary international experience, strong communication skills and inspiring people management, convinced the board to appoint Vandermeiren as the new CEO,” said Antwerp Port Authority Chairman Marc Van Peel.
Antwerp recently opened the world’s largest lock to improve access to its Waasland Harbor. The 382-million-euro Kieldrecht Lock is 500 meters (1,640 feet) long and 68 meters wide with an operational depth of 17.8 meters. The lock took five years to complete and can accommodate the largest seagoing vessels afloat.
Previously only one lock, the Kallo Lock, allowed access to Waasland, which meant ships had to wait in line for more than three hours to enter the harbor. “In recent years, our port has successfully overcome many hurdles, now ranking as number two in Europe. In order to retain that leading position, Antwerp must have a highly necessary basic infrastructure such as well-functioning locks that are adapted to the increased scale of international shipping,” said Van Peel.
The Port of Antwerp passed the 200-million-tonne mark for the first time in its history last year with 208.4 million tonnes (229.7 tons), up 4.7 percent on the previous year when it handled 199 million tonnes. Container throughput rose 7.5 percent to 9.6 million twenty-foot-equivalent units. Roll-on, roll-off throughput also rose by 4.1 percent to 4.7 million tonnes while breakbulk volumes grew 1.2 percent to just over 10 million tonnes.
Throughput has been growing in the first part of 2016 with the port handling over 53 million tonnes of freight in the first quarter of the year, 3.9 percent more than the same period last year. Container volumes grew 4.6 percent, to nearly 2.6 million TEUs during the period and liquid bulk volumes rose to 17.7 million tonnes, representing year-over-year growth of 10.6 percent. Oil derivatives grew 17 percent and accounted for 13.2 million tonnes of liquid bulk volumes in the quarter.
