Good news about our ports

Ghent and Zeeland Seaports investigate merger

07 November 2016

Ghent Port Company (BE) and Zeeland Seaports (NL) (with the port areas of Flushing, Terneuzen and Borsele) are strengthening their cooperation with a merger as a ‘remote prospect’. A declaration of intent was signed by both companies on 7 November at the Ghent city hall.

The strengthened cooperation between Ghent Port Company and Zeeland Seaports is a logical consequence of their location, as it concerns one single connected economic zone from Flushing, Borsele and Terneuzen until Ghent. Furthermore, both companies have a comparable size and strategy, which has already led to a close cooperation on different levels, such as joint shipping assistance, joint promotion of commercial assets of the region and the New Lock.

During the last months, the port authorities investigated the opportunities and possibilities for an even closer cooperation. They were supported in this task by the McKinsey office. The study on the possibilities in the fields of tax law, administrative and legal structures, relationships with national and regional authorities, port dues and fees, etc. will continue in the coming months. The port authorities hope to know if a merger is the best option by the end of April 2017.

More information: www.portofghent.be and www.zeelandseaports.nl

Image: (c) Ghent Port Company

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