Two terminals at Port of Antwerp to offer 24-hour gates

Starting March 20, 2017, the Deurganck dock in the Port of Antwerp, home to container terminals MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) and DP World Antwerp Gateway, will be open round the clock on weekdays.    Two major container terminals at the Port of Antwerp will be offering 24-hour truck gates during the week starting March 20, 2017, the port authority said in a statement.
   The port’s Deurganck dock, which is home to the MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) and DP World Antwerp Gateway container terminals, will be open round the clock on weekdays.
   The nighttime gates are expected to spread cargo flows more evenly throughout the day and increase efficiency for drayage operations.
  According to port analysis, DP World Antwerp handles roughly 1,700 trucks per day and MPET handles around 2,600, with turn times increasing as the day goes and peaking at around 5 p.m. After 7 p.m., “the number of trucks drops considerably, and so calling later in the day yields significant time savings,” the port said. “Permitting deliveries and collections at night also will further extend this quiet period.”
   Antwerp Port Authority noted the initiative for the 24/5 truck gates came from the terminal operators, along with MSC, and is supported by the wider port community, but will require cooperation from other stakeholders.
   “Support from the shippers and logistics service providers is crucial, for example, by also extending the opening hours of warehouses both inside the port and beyond it,” the port authority said. It added that because the Customs desk will not be open at night, administrative arrangements for containers like pre-registration and clearance must be handled in advance.
   “At Van Moer Logistics, our reliability and punctuality are vital to our customers. We are pleased that structural measures are being considered so that we can serve our customers and warehouses outside the congestion hours. We support this 100 percent, and we count on the collaboration of all stakeholders who can contribute to its success,” Jo Van Moer, chief executive officer of Van Moer Logistics said of the extended gate hours.