The Port of Antwerp has launched the English version of its third sustainability report which measures sustainability on the basis of no fewer than 80 indicators, ranging from laws and regulations to quality of the environment, water consumption and emissions. This third report, which was initially published in Dutch in October 2015 , is not just a continuation of the previous editions, it also deals more widely with various themes that have been identified as important by the stakeholders.
In contrast to the previous two versions the report is no longer divided into People, Planet and Prosperity; instead the different subjects have been clustered into overarching themesthat take the “3Ps” into account. These are considered from three viewpoints:
1) defining the relevant themes from the point of view of sustainability, by the port community and by external parties involved;
2) dialogue with port users concerning sustainability, organised within the framework of the Business Plan for Antwerp Port Authority; and
3) a survey of how the port is experienced by those who live and work nearby.
This theme-based approach is intended to make the report more accessible.The theme of mobility is dealt with separately in this third report, with particular attention to the various modes of freight transport. The trend towards more sustainable modes of ransport is progressing slowly but surely.
The port of Antwerp is successful in creating added value in a sustainable way.The level of economic activity has been trending upwards once more since 2009, which has now resulted in greater employment.The port owes this success to the presence of various specialist container terminals. As a result of the planned move by MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) to the Deurganck dock at the end of 2015 the container volume is expected to rise sharply in future. A few years ago Antwerp overtook Hamburg to become the second-largest container port in Europe after Rotterdam.This position is believed to become even stronger in future.
In addition Antwerp is a port of and for people. The port’s initiatives are designed to ensure support among the various stakeholders and the general population.At the same time, safety and the environment activities are progressing.The port of Antwerp invests in improving the ecological infrastructure both on the land and in the water.
By connecting the overseas flow of goods with the hinterland and vice versa, the port forms a vital link in the overall supply chain. It also generates a great deal of employment, necessary to handle the goods quickly and efficiently. This in turn demands an appropriate safety strategy, with a continuous improvement path to raise the general level of safety. Indeed, safety is a basic right for everyone, with the public and private sectors collaborating in an integrated way throughout the entire port community.
Further details may be found in third port of Antwerp sustainability report below
Source:Port of Antwerp
