Tight squeeze in Port of Ghent

21 November 2008

The Ghent-Terneuzen channel is 38 meters wide. The 37 meter wide ship with a cargo from Brazil for steel company ArcelorMittal is the biggest ship ever to sail into the Port of Ghent. This is the first of three test sails into the port.

"If everything proceeds without problem with this ship we will know that the port can deal with ships of this magnitude," says Jan Cornelis of ArcelorMittal.

"We hope in the future to be able to set up more transports of this type between Brazil and ArcelorMittal Gent," Mr Cornelis adds.

Jan Cornelis explains that ArcelorMittal imports some 5.5 million tons of iron ore every year. "If we know that these ships with a capacity of 83,000 tons can easily sail into Ghent, then we can cut down on the number of voyages to some 65 a year."

Port alderman Sas Van Rouveroij (Flemish liberal) says that the first arrival of a bigger ship in the Port of Ghent is significant. According to the port alderman by building a second, larger, sea lock in Terneurzen, Ghent will be able to better compete with the other ports.

(flandersnews.be/Expatica 2008)