To renew the ties between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Indian officials, and the captains of industry of various economic sectors, a delegation headed by Luc Arnouts – VP of International Networks and Relations visited Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.
The delegation consisting of senior representatives of the Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority, APEC (Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center), Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (consultancy, management solutions, strategic investments, and training), and NxtPort International (neutral data exchange platform).
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has been actively engaged in India for a long time and has had a representation office in Mumbai since 2006.
National Logistics Policy
India is an important trade partner and exports from India to Europe via the Port of Antwerp-Bruges include steel, project cargo, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive components, and engineering goods,
The recent initiatives of the Indian Government to boost the logistics sector and reduce logistics costs offer a substantial opportunity for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The port expects that these key initiatives will see this sector grow at an unprecedented rate.
Chemicals and green hydrogen
Having signed an MOU with the Indian Chemical Council in 2017, Luc Arnouts, Vice-President of International Networks and Relations, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is invited to speak at the 16th Annual India Chemical Industry Outlook Conference & Exhibition, and to participate in the CEO round table organized by ICC.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges, today one of the main European ports for the import of natural gas views the National Hydrogen Mission of India as a very interesting development. The port’s mission is to become one of the main ports for the import of green hydrogen to be used in industrial clusters in Europe.
APEC
Active in training people working in the port sector since 1977, Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center 2015 set up a training center at the port of Mumbai, in co-operation with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority. Every year, several courses are conducted for Indian port employees and private companies. Subjects range from Port Management, Port Logistics, Smart Ports, Health, Safely & Security, Environment and Quality, etc.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges International
In close cooperation with the training institute, private players, and other authorities in India, Port of Antwerp-Bruges International supports projects by sharing expertise. There are collaborations with amongst others IITM (Indian Institute of Technologies Madras), Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Kolkata, and Haldia dock Complex. The Maritime Indian Vision 2030-2047 offers additional opportunities in supporting ports in reaching their targets.
NxtPort International
NxtPort is a tech spin-out of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, which has been enabling resilient, sustainable, and competitive port operations, through its next-gen, neutral data exchange platform since 2016. Since 2021, NxtPort International offers its highly scalable platform to port communities worldwide and has set up offices on 4 continents. Today, over 3,000 public and private users connect with one another or to more than 50 apps and APIs.
