MSC joint venture will build third terminal in Antwerp

A JOINT venture between Hessenatie and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been awarded a concession to build Antwerp's third container terminal, which will be built in the new tidal dock on the Left Bank.
Hessenatie currently handles about 60% of all container traffic at Antwerp while MSC is the port's single largest customer, making an average of 400 calls a month and amounting to 590 000 TEUs monthly, which is about 25% of the port's total.
Growth in container handling at Antwerp has overtaken all expectations and the 1996 forecast of 3.6 million TEUs by 2006 appears in danger of being surpassed, with the port already having handled 3.3m TEUs during 1998. As a result development of the port has been brought forward by several years, and the Port Authority has applied to the government for permission to go ahead with the second development phase at the same time as the first phase.
By Terry Hutson