In order to further develop its role as the most important European port for Turkish trade, the Antwerp Port Authority arranged a Port Day this week in the country's largest city, Istanbul.
Taking place on Monday 10 May, the Port Authority and Alfaport Antwerp aimed to give industrial and logistics entrepreneurs in Turkey an outline of the features and services offered by the Port of Antwerp in Belgium.
The event was launched by Port of Antwerp alderman Marc Van Peel and the Belgian ambassador to Turkey H.E. De Witte, with opportunities for visitors to network and exchange experiences.
Shipping trade between Turkey and Antwerp has grown by an average of 16 per cent annually over the past 10 years, with some 10m tonnes of freight carried between Antwerp and various Turkish ports in 2009.
Out of those 10m tonnes, some 8m tonnes was carried in containers, with container volumes amounting to 700,000 TEU including fresh fruit, chemicals, car parts and textiles.
As a result of this growth, Turkey is now Antwerp's third-largest trading partner after the US and the UK, with imports making up 47 per cent and exports accounting for just over 53 per cent.
