LIEGE TRILOGIPORT
[BIZ/LOG: Liège, February 2] The disappearance of steel is a threat but the options provided by Liège Trilogiport are heartening. The projects for Trilogiport at Hermalle-sous-Argenteau are part of the Marshall Plan for the redevelopment of the Walloon country. Within this, the Autonomous Port of Liège, the Port of Antwerp, and SPI+, and the Liège development agency, have decided to associate themselves within the context of a contract for the economic interest grouping for the area. The ongoing growth of the Port of Antwerp is, in fact, leading to a progressive saturation of its locations and access to it. For years the ports of Antwerp and Liège have been in contact and pursuing cooperation, particularly in view of the fact that Liège port is only 15 hours by water from the Port of Antwerp, via the Albert Canal, and is, in fact, the Port of Antwerp’s natural hinterland. For that reason the two ports have decided to join forces to assure their mutual economic growth, and the development of the potential represented by Liège Trilogiport. SPI+ has joined the project. It is pursuing its principal concern of the economic development of the province of Liège and wishes to be associated with the project because of its knowledge of the industrial economy and business in the province. It is interested in the sites behind the logistics village. SPI+’s experience complements that of the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Liège. The creation of this economic interest group will contribute to the development of Liège Trilogiport. Mr Bertrand, the director of the Liège Autonomous Port, explains that the development will allow clients of the Port of Antwerp who don’t have a quay at the port to develop their location here with multimodal access to Antwerp. There will also be an improvement of mobility in Antwerp because of the relief provided here. The Port of Liège will benefit from the installation of major enterprises at its location. It will also help the Port of Antwerp to develop a better relationship with its natural hinterland and customers, and allow SPI+ to investigate the value-added options in the area. Contacts are numerous, and the first businesses at Trilogiport are expected in mid-2007, where the emphasis will be on high added value and use of the waterways. SPI+ will be co-financing up to a third, providing more than EUR 1m. It will provide its expertise and its detailed knowledge of the 32,600 businesses in its zones which will be of value to Trilogiport. SPI+ will delegate Madame Lejeune to this committee, she has been designated the successor to Andre Lacroix, the Director General.
Liège Trilogiport is the multimodal platform for the Liège Autonomous Port (PAL). In 2004 the Walloon region acquired this 100-hectare site and assigned its management to the port. It is dedicated to logistics and has a container terminal of a dozen hectares, all in keeping with environmental standards and in constant consultation with local residents. 2004 was a record year for the port, with a total of 21 million tons handled, and the port not only achieved its best performance in all modes but it achieved its absolute record on the waterways.
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