Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently hosted ministers from the Flemish government and North Rhine-Westphalia at Antwerp’s Port House for a joint cabinet meeting that ran alongside the “Energy Talks”.
This constitutes a policy industry forum on cross-border energy links and the rollout of the European Clean Industrial Deal in the region.
Through its long-standing alliance with duisport the port is already investing in shared infrastructure and low-carbon industrial corridors. This collaboration makes Antwerp-Bruges both a vital trading gateway for Germany and a leading logistics and manufacturing hub for Europe.
By 2030, the port intends to bring in one million tonnes of hydrogen-equivalent fuels each year, covering Belgian demand and supplying industrial clusters in Germany and beyond.
The ministerial meeting underlined a mutual commitment to renewable energy, the circular economy and knowledge exchange, while the Energy Talks highlighted the crucial role of public-private partnerships in turning the Clean Industrial Deal into reality.
Port CEO Jacques Vandermeiren stressed that, as a major European entry point, the port must provide clean, affordable energy and drive industrial decarbonisation, while, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President Hendrik Wüst added that an AI Gigafactory backed by both regions would knit together research centres, start-ups and SMEs, strengthening Europe’s innovation base.
Antwerp Vice-Mayor Johan Klaps concluded that ports are global trailblazers of major transitions, and that Antwerp-Bruges and duisport intend to stay at the forefront of the climate shift.
These initiatives are playing a key role in bringing the European Clean Industrial Deal to life, which aims to build a competitive, climate-neutral industrial sector. Beyond financial investments, achieving this transition also depends on consistent long-term policies and strong cross-border collaboration.
