Europe's leading fresh produce handling company, BNFW, has extended its operations in Antwerp, Belgium, with the addition of a new fruit terminal alongside the port's Albertdock.
The new centre was officially opened this week by Kris Peeters, Minister President of the Flemish Government, and Antwerp's port alderman Marc Van Peel, three years to the day since BNFW unveiled the first ever automated warehouse for fruit in a discharge port on the nearby Leopold Dock.
Offering some 22,000m2 of coldstorage capacity as well as 350 reefer container plugs, 3,500 TEU of container bays and space for 11,400 pallets across 14 rooms, the new terminal at quays 184-190 is also unique in being the world's first ever fully automated, high-racking storage centre for fresh fruit in a discharge port, boasting racking facilities eight pallets high.
'It's an important day for Antwerp,' said Mr Van Peel. 'Thanks to the investment of Sea-Invest (the parent company of BNFW, the port has been able to create a significant amount of value for companies in the fruit industry.'
