Lingang Group develops logistics platform in Port of Zeebrugge

The official first stone ceremony for the 76,000 m² state-of-the-art logistics park in the port of Zeebrugge has taken place.

Lingang Group develops logistics platform in Port of Zeebrugge
Photo: Port of Zeebrugge

With this investment project, the Chinese Lingang Group aims to serve all players in the European import and export business, across all continents. In addition to the CSP Zeebrugge Terminal and its extensive hinterland connections, the port now has all the assets to further expand its deepsea activities and anchor them in Zeebrugge.

The Lingang Group, a developer of industrial parks, has started the construction of a 76,000m² logistics platform in the port of Zeebrugge. The site, which will be divided into 10 units each with 10 loading and unloading docks and turnkey office facilities, is one of the largest logistics projects in West Flanders. It will also include a 22,000 m² container yard, an access building with offices, parking space for 200 cars, a waiting area and a drop-off zone for trucks. With this investment, Lingang aims to attract and accommodate international logistics players who import goods by container to Europe or vice versa. The focus is initially on e-commerce, automotive cargo and food.

For this logistics project, Lingang will cooperate with Chinese container operator Cosco Shipping Ports (CSP). Cosco acquired the APM deep-sea container terminal in Zeebrugge in 2017 with the aim of developing it into a Northern European hub.

The group was looking for a port with sufficient capacity, good maritime accessibility, high productivity and a favourable location in relation to markets to invest in. The choice fell on Zeebrugge, because as a coastal port it has all these assets. Since the takeover, CSP has invested considerably in the terminal, resulting in a yearly growth of 30% of the deep-sea container services, putting Zeebrugge back on the international container map. The development of a logistics cluster is fully in line with the ambition to attract additional container traffic to the CSP Zeebrugge Terminal.

Jie Hu, CEO Lingang Overseas Belgium, Lingang Group, said:

"The port of Zeebrugge has many similarities with the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, where we developed a similar logistics platform 10 years ago. Both are real gateways where such an investment can facilitate deep sea volume growth. We focus on logistics operators, but with the steep growth of ecommerce through Covid-19, we see many opportunities there as well. I would certainly also like to express my appreciation for the cooperation with Port of Zeebrugge. Despite the extra challenges in the past year due to Covid-19, we were able to work out the project in a very constructive way and are now ready to start construction."

The laying of the foundation stone took place today and the site is expected to be completed in August 2022. In addition to this 15 ha site, Lingang has an option to develop an additional 15 ha. This will be developed in a second phase, which will also include a direct rail connection with a branch line to the warehouse.

Tom Hautekiet, CEO Port of Zeebrugge, said:

"This investment project, which is of an unprecedented scale, is the perfect addition to the CSP deepsea container platform and our excellent hinterland connections and will make an important contribution to the expansion and anchoring of our deepsea services. In doing so, we will strengthen and leverage our role as a gateway for international cargo flows. It is a wonderful example of a win-win cooperation between China and Europe."

Dirk De fauw, mayor of Bruges and chairman of the Zeebrugge port authority, said:

"As a coastal port, Zeebrugge has all the capabilities to play a leading role in the field of deepsea services. We are therefore very pleased that Lingang has chosen Zeebrugge for this major project. manage more than 2 million m² logistics facilities of distribution zones in the Shanghai region and bring with them the know-how and experience to attract world players to Zeebrugge. I am convinced that this logistics platform will considerably strengthen our economic position, both globally and in the region."