DP World has bought Europort’s interest in the Trilogiport inland container terminal project in Liège, Belgium, for an undisclosed sum, and is now 100% owner of the development.
Following its completion in 2015, the project will “connect Antwerp and Rotterdam to Germany, the Netherlands and France via Liège,” according to the Director General of Liège Port Authority, Louis Bertrand. It is also expected to create 1,000 jobs.
Along with DP World’s Beverdonk Container Terminal in Grobbendonk, ownership of Trilogiport means DP World will operate terminals at either end of the Albert Canal. The canal runs between Liège and the Port of Antwerp and allows Belgium to keep cargo off roads.
CEO of DP World Antwerp, Rob Harrison said: “In this way we can immediately bridge the gap from the Port of Antwerp to the Walloon region and subsequently, to the rest of Europe. There are also environmental benefits in using the Canal, taking lorries off the road and reducing carbon emissions.”
Meanwhile the sale of its two-thirds share in Trilogiport will allow Europort to “focus on our strategic goal to become the partner of choice in maritime supply chain solutions to our existing and future clients in Dry Bulk and Breakbulk markets,” according to Benelux and France managing director Paul Jacob Bins.
The deal follows Euroports’ divestment of another inland container terminal in Meerhout to waterways transportation company BCTN.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.