Antwerp Port Authority acquires General Motors site
Antwerp Port Authority is excited to announce that it can now purchase the Opel site, the location of the former General Motors production plant in the Antwerp port area. The Port Authority plans to develop the entire 96-hectare site so as to attract manufacturing industry in the heart of this vast industrial, (petro)chemical, logistic and maritime complex, the Port Authority said in a press release.
Both the size of the site and its location in the heart of Europe’s second-largest port make this opportunity unique. Such sites are invaluable because they make it possible to attract new industry and generate additional employment. In this particular case Antwerp Port Authority will focus on integrated development, as the size of the site and its location present a rare opportunity. With this in mind each project proposed for the site will be considered in terms of the added value that it can create for the region. The site located on the right bank of the Scheldt has excellent links with the hinterland thanks to direct connections to the road, rail and inland waterway networks. The port of Antwerp is also connected to the main European pipeline networks.
Antwerp Port Authority will therefore issue invitations as soon as possible for potential investors to submit expressions of interest and proposals for projects.
The port of Antwerp has a number of unique advantages for the development of profitable industrial and logistical activities. In particular the largest oil and chemical cluster in Europe, home to big names such as Exxon Mobil, Bayer, Total, Ineos, Evonik, BASF and many others. Innovation, state-of-the-art facilities, highly trained personnel and a huge amount of tank storage capacity go hand-in-hand with excellent hinterland connections by varied modes. The port’s proximity to large centres of production and consumption, its high cargo-handling productivity and its excellent services make Antwerp the ideal location in the commercial and industrial heart of Europe. Add to this the extensive range of sustainable, modern facilities and the development of sustainable (energy) projects, and you have the perfect spot for long-term investments.
To promote the further development of the port, Antwerp Port Authority continues to invest from a long-term perspective. This includes a number of strategic projects such as the construction of the Deurganck dock lock (which when it is completed will be the largest in the world, securing accessibility on the left bank), further expansion of the port area on the left bank, development of new logistics parks (Waasland and Schijns Logistics Parks), and participation in hinterland hubs. Clearly the development of the former General Motors site belongs in this category and is of great strategic importance.