Location
Albert Canal Economic Network
The new industrial estate fits with the plans of the Flemish government to develop an economic network around the Albert Canal by developing new
and renovating existing industrial estates: the ENA.
The Albert Canal's role in this plan is to serve as a logistic connection axis.
The region extends from Antwerp to Lanaken, with its heart around the junction of the Albert Canal and the E313. The ENA is intended to provide a solution to the spatial density pressures around the Port of Antwerp.
Blue banana
Antwerp Port East is an entry point for the harbours of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ghent and Rotterdam, and is centrally located in the blue banana, a region that starts with the urban concentrations of Turin and Milan (Italy), ends in the West Midlands (U.K.) and contains within it the industrial hubs of the Dutch Coastal Urban Area (Rotterdam to Amsterdam, the Netherlands), the Flemish Diamond (Belgium) and the Ruhr Valley (Germany).
The blue banana is one of the world’s greatest concentrations of people (approx. 100 million), money and business activity.
Close to the import harbours and in the heart of
one of the world’s largest markets
It almost couldn’t be better.
Use of the inland waterways will help shippers to avoid the busy roadway network around the metropolises and will save time and resources. Furthermore, this is ecologically responsible logistics. The cruising time by inland waterway from the Port of Antwerp is only 3 hours and the vessel only has to pass one lock. The increase of the cargo volumes will stimulate the increase of daily frequency of the feeder barges.
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