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<\/p>\nAt a Port Summit in Meise, the ports of Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine-Westphalia signed an agreement to collaborate more closely and effectively in the future, particularly in circular value chains and automated freight transport.<\/p>\n
Together, the ports and the surrounding industrial area form the European Union’s largest economic and logistical hub, generating about 65 billion euros in added value and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs.<\/p>\n
By better aligning their infrastructure, expertise, and industrial capacity, the partners aim to respond more effectively to geopolitical challenges.<\/p>\n
This involves seven ports within the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr Area (ARRRA): Duisport, North Sea Port, Antwerp-Bruges, Cologne\/HGK, Moerdijk, Ostend, and Rotterdam.<\/p>\n
When it comes to combating drug trafficking or the mandatory installation of shore power, the major Western European ports already cooperate extensively.<\/p>\n
But for autonomous ships and vehicles, or the circular economy, for example, there is an urgent need for greater harmonization. And that is what they now intend to focus on more.<\/p>\n
The statement signed by Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and Marcus Optendrenk, Minister of Finance of North Rhine-Westphalia, does not yet include any truly concrete examples. Still, the declaration commits to developing the port and industrial cluster into a strategic lever for innovation, energy security, and industrial transition.<\/p>\n
The priorities outlined in the final declaration are: circular value chains and a cross-border market for raw materials; accelerated expansion of energy infrastructure for both the transport and storage of CO2 and hydrogen; making inland waterway transport more resilient to drought, flash floods, and salinization; and innovative logistics through automated freight transport, both by land and water, with a shared infrastructure for charging, battery swapping, and refueling.<\/p>\n
Drones will also play a role in inspections, environmental monitoring, and crisis response.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In addition, the three regions are asking the European Commission to recognize ARRRA as a strategic European port and industrial cluster. They also want faster decisions on cross-border infrastructure, clearer regulations, and better funding for major transition projects.<\/p>\n
According to Rob Smeets, CEO of Antwerp-Bruges, the agreement’s real added value lies in eliminating border crossings and moving from talk to action. Working together with third countries is also a factor.<\/p>\n
“We must compete where necessary and cooperate when possible,” says Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam. For example, he points out the following. “When we go to China or Singapore, we go separately. But when we go as a pair, all doors open.”<\/p>\n
Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges are the only two European ports in the world’s top 20 and are the undisputed number 1 and 2 in Europe. Yet they have been steadily slipping in the global rankings for years.<\/p>\n
The top 10 is now almost entirely dominated by Chinese mega-ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, and Shenzhen, and Asian hubs such as Singapore and Busan.<\/p>\n
The causes of this slower growth are geopolitical, such as a sharp decline in imports from the Persian Gulf and container exports to the US. At the same time, investments must be made in the green transition \u2013 a structural challenge in the shorter term, which is putting pressure on the ports’ heavy reliance on fossil fuels and chemicals.<\/p>\n
European industry \u2013 and German industry in particular \u2013 is also facing tough times because of high energy prices, weak consumer demand, and geopolitical tensions.<\/p>\n
For example, escalating tensions in and around the Red Sea are forcing ships to sail around Africa, significantly disrupting shipping schedules and container flow to Northern Europe.<\/p>\n
This summer’s drought has also severely affected inland waterway shipping on the Rhine. Because both ports are connected to the Rhine, this has also resulted in additional costs and operational disruptions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At a Port Summit in Meise, the ports of Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine-Westphalia signed an agreement to collaborate more closely and effectively in the future, particularly in circular value chains and automated freight transport. Together, the ports and the surrounding industrial area form the European Union’s largest economic and logistical hub, generating about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":164,"featured_media":195339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\r\n\r\n{excerpt}\r\n\r\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[77170,28,77153,77218,4,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-195301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belgium","category-europe","category-maritime","category-netherlands","category-top-stories-today","category-transport"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1",640,427,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1",640,427,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1",2048,1365,true],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=18%2C12&ssl=1",18,12,true],"related-thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1",640,480,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1",300,300,true],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1",400,400,true],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1",600,600,true],"mailchimp":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?fit=560%2C373&ssl=1",560,373,true],"unipress-phone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=640%2C100&ssl=1",640,100,true],"unipress-tablet":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C240&ssl=1",1536,240,true],"unipress-tablet-portrait":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C180&ssl=1",1536,180,true],"unipress-tablet-landscape":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C180&ssl=1",2048,180,true],"unipress-smartphone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=1080%2C168&ssl=1",1080,168,true],"unipress-wide-screen":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newmobility.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/55_Vlaamse_Overheid_Haventop_Export-scaled.png?resize=2560%2C180&ssl=1",2560,180,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"
At a Port Summit in Meise, the ports of Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine-Westphalia signed an agreement to collaborate more closely and effectively in the future, particularly in circular value chains and automated freight transport. Together, the ports and the surrounding industrial area form the European Union’s largest economic and logistical hub, generating about 65 billion euros in added value and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs. By better aligning their infrastructure, expertise, and industrial capacity, the partners aim to respond more effectively to geopolitical challenges. Seven ports This involves seven ports within the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr Area (ARRRA): Duisport, North Sea Port,…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Belgium<\/a>, Europe<\/a>, Maritime<\/a>, Netherlands<\/a>, Top Stories Today<\/a>, Transport<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Luc Joris","url":"https:\/\/newmobility.news\/en\/author\/belga-5\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","yoast_head":"\n