INLAND WATERWAY NEWS

[LOG: Brussels, December 22}
Inland ports in the Netherlands are to receive an extra impulse of 64 million EUR to improve quality and ease of use. Announcing the subsidy, State Secretary Huizinga of Transport said “When the economy improves, the inland shipping industry needs to be able to perform at full power”. The subsidies will be divided amongst 36 inland port projects across the Netherlands. “Well prepared and integrated inland ports are not just important for regional economies. They are vital to maintain the Netherlands’ position as leaders in transport and logistics” added the State Secretary.

Floating food
The Brussels minister of transport and harbors, Brigitte Grouwels, has announced that Belgian retailer, Colruyt, has chosen to use inland navigation and the container terminal at the Brussels harbor to transport goods. According to Grouwels, the choice for inland waterways means a reduction of 1000 trucks between the ports of Antwerp and Brussels. The containers will be trucked from the port of Brussels to Colruyt’s new distribution centre in Ghislenghien. Initially, on an annual basis between 400 and 500 containers will be shipped between Antwerp and Brussels.

Support for pallets on barges
The Flemish transport minister Hilde Crevits has announced the availability of 1.4 million EUR for the development of pallet transportation on inland waterways. The Minister believes there is room for a modal shift from road to water for the transport of palletized goods such as building material, cold drinks and food. For construction material alone there is a potential of 6 to 7 million tons per year. Currently, there are 61.1 million tons of palletized good transported over Belgian roads annually. The government support is for investment in suitable ships, cranes and quays. This will help to overcome the infrastructure advantage that road transport currently has.

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