Belgian New Fruit Wharf's (BNFW) acquisition of the Port of Rotterdam's largest handling, freight forwarding and distribution company for perishable products, Seabrex, will not jeopardise plans for a major new terminal development, according to comments made in the wake of the takeover.
'This takeover is evidence of the long-term commitment our group has made to the handling of perishable products, both in conventional modes as well as in containers,' said Johan Claes, general director of BNFW's parent company Sea-Invest. 'With the acquisition of Seabrex, our customers can now choose to switch between our locations in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Zeebrugge.'
The new facility, which is due to be built in the Port of Rotterdam's Waalhaven area, to the south of its current site at Merwehaven, is expected to open some time after 2013. According to Mr Claes, BNFW is keen to see the project continue as planned.
'The fact that Seabrex plans to create an ultramodern coldstorage centre at the southern tip of Rotterdam harbor was especially attractive for us,' he confirmed. 'We will support these plans to further improve the fruit terminal in Rotterdam.'
The acquisition of Seabrex adds Rotterdam to BNFW's exisiting operations at the Port of Hamburg in Germany and the Belgian ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge.
