Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Port of Rotterdam call for a strong Clean Industrial Deal

Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Port of Rotterdam call for a strong Clean Industrial Deal

Port of Antwerp-Bruges — 2025-01-14

Members Corner

Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Port of Rotterdam are calling on the European Commission to invest heavily in the competitiveness of industry in Europe. They are doing so in the run-up to the publication of the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal. 'Europe's strategic autonomy, energy transition and prosperity are at stake'.

As energy, logistics and industrial clusters, Europe's two largest ports can play an important role in the implementation of the EU Clean Industrial Deal aimed at strengthening the investment climate in Europe. They therefore want the European Commission to opt for an approach in which strengthening international chains and industrial clusters is central, instead of focusing on regions or sectors. The ports want to take the lead in this cross-border approach by working together more intensively themselves.

Shared value scientifically substantiated

Commissioned by both ports, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Erasmus University Rotterdam (Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics) conducted research into the position and value of the joint port complexes. This showed that both ports should be seen as an integrated logistics and industrial complex, connected to the broader industrial cluster that extends to the Ruhr area: the ARRRA cluster. The ports link goods and energy flows to companies and consumers far into the hinterland. The combined scale, overlapping networks, mutual connections and complementary sectors and activities create synergy, giving the industrial cluster a major role in industry in Europe. For example, the ARRRA cluster accounts for 40% of European petrochemical production.

Strengthening cooperation

Strengthening the cooperation between Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Port of Rotterdam could further increase the benefits of the joint cluster, also for Europe. This is on condition that the right framework is created for this and that Europe invests in connectivity, tackles regulatory pressure and provides greater support for sustainability investments. This message was conveyed to the European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, during a jointly organised event in Brussels.

Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Net Zero and Clean Growth : “We have reached a point where industrial growth with emissions reduction is not just a choice. It is a necessity. For far too long, the narrative has been that business and climate are not compatible. With this new Commission, we are writing a different story. On the road to a cleaner, greener future, we need to take all European companies with us, from innovative cleantech companies to traditional heavy industries. That is what our new Clean Industrial Deal is about.”

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges : “A systemic port cluster approach contributes to achieving Europe’s objectives. The ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam are unique places where multimodal logistics, energy and industry come together. The transition to a sustainable economy requires cross-border cooperation and a sense of reality. As ports, we want to jointly contribute to anchoring European industry for the future.”

Boudewijn Siemons, CEO Port of Rotterdam : "Europe is facing the challenge of combining the transition to a sustainable economy with the preservation of prosperity and strategic independence. In recent years, substantial investments have been made in our port complexes and major projects are now being realised. At the same time, we are seeing the competitiveness of European industry decline. It is therefore important that ports, national and European governments join forces for a European investment climate in which companies can continue to build on the future."