On Tuesday, June 10th, the new Port of Limburg container terminal on the former Ford site in Genk was inaugurated. As a satellite location outside the busy seaports, the terminal offers an efficient container transport solution.
The container terminal is strategically located on the Albert Canal, with connections via the highways E313 and E314. By removing 240,000 trucks from the road each year, the Port of Limburg offers a sustainable alternative to road transport for containers.
Unmanned electric inland vessels
From next week, two large and brand new, unmanned electric inland vessels will be deployed for container transport between Genk and Antwerp.
The ships can sail on battery-electric power and transport up to four layers of containers. They can be controlled remotely from shore, which is efficient and sustainable. Their emissions are only one-tenth of the current standard emissions of inland vessels.
Safety and security
Port of Limburg focuses not only on sustainability but also on safety. That is why the port has already invested heavily in fencing, infrastructure, access controls, and heat and tracking cameras.
Drones are also used to combat drug trafficking. Successful so far, as the terminal has been operational since March and no incidents have been reported in recent months.
Ambitious plans
“Security is central to our operations,” says Benjamin Hermans, CEO of Port of Limburg. The site features advanced security measures, including a patrol drone in collaboration with local police.
Port of Limburg currently processes a capacity of 70,000 containers per year. The ambition is to increase this figure to 350,000 containers, which are supplied from Antwerp and Rotterdam.
The Port of Limburg is on its way to becoming a key player in sustainable and secure inland shipping. As the container terminal continues to invest in infrastructure and technology, it aims to set new standards for security and efficiency in container processing, benefiting both the terminal and the broader supply chain.
