Port of Antwerp ideally positioned as exim gateway to Europe

The ex-im trade was made familiar with the Port of Antwerp as ideally positioned to be the gateway to Europe and its numerous facilities to benefit shippers at a presentation made by the Port Authority of Antwerp in association with the Ahmedabad Custom House Agents’ Association (ACHAA) at Laurn Towers here on September 3.

Representing the Port Authority in India, Mr Raj Khalid provided exhaustive details of the facilities available for the ex-im trade at Antwerp, in the form of vast warehousing space, 550 hectares of covered warehousing, the all-weather steel terminal, the fact that Antwerp is the largest break-bulk port in Europe, the largest chemical/petrochemical cluster in Europe and the largest port for forest products.

Mr Jean-Joel Schittecatte, Consul General of Belgium, spoke of the large EU market for Indian goods and supported Antwerp Port as the gateway to Europe. Belgium has the rotating Presidency of the EU and the Consul General spoke about the growth and future of the EU.

Mr Werner Van Dercruyssen, Attaché, Belgian Customs, from New Delhi, spoke about the simplicity of Customs procedures in Antwerp Port and why it was one of the preferred gateways to Europe.

There was a very lively interaction and the audience was advised about setting up forwarding operations in Antwerp.

Mr Raj Khalid extended an invitation to all those present to visit Antwerp Port in November this year.

Mr Ravi Joshi, President of ACHAA, also graced the function.

Source : Exim News Service - Ahmedabad, Sept. 7