Other news articles

• 13.09.24

  Katoen Natie Offers Alternative For Expanding Container Capacity In The Port Of Antwerp

  SAVING 8 BILLION BY ALTERNATIVE TO TWEEDE GETIJDENDOK The port of Antwerp is struggling with a capacity problem for container storage and transshipment.  As a result, shipping companies are forced to have container ships handled in surrounding ports such as Zeebrugge, Rotterdam and Le Havre. Additional container capacity is necessary to ensure Antwerp's position as a logistics hub in Europe. In order to accommodate the growth in container traffic, the Flemish government recently gave the green light for the ECA plan (Extra Container Handling Capacity Antwerp). This plan provides additional space for seven million extra containers on top of the current capacity of fifteen million containers. Among other things, through the construction of a new dock on the Left Bank of the Scheldt, the so-called Tweede Getijdendok. The commissioning of this dock is provisionally scheduled for 2030. That is far too late because the port needs the extra capacity now. Building and making the Tweede Getijdendok operational is also a major expense for the government. The price tag -including associated infrastructure works - is estimated at 8 billion euros. Because this is a tidal dock, the dock quickly silts up with sand and mud that the river Scheldt deposits in it. This makes it necessary to dredge the dock regularly to ensure the required draft for the container ships, which also entails significant costs. Katoen Natie has come up with an alternative for the new Tweede Getijdendok and is investigating whether the SEA-invest group – which already operates a container terminal at the Bevrijdingsdok – can be involved in this. By redeveloping a 220-hectare concession site around the Bevrijdingsdok, an additional container handling capacity of 9 million containers (TEU) per year can be realised. In addition to a quay length of 4.4 km, this site on the Right Bank of the river Scheldt has excellent and existing road and rail connections. This alternative solution can save the government (and the taxpayer) at least 8 billion euros and the port of Antwerp can expand its container capacity in the very short term without any inconvenience to the port community and citizens. Bevrijdingsdok as alternative for the Tweede Getijdendok ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION WITH MANY BENEFITS This alternative can be realized immediately. The construction of the new Tweede Getijdendok will probably take another ten years, which will significantly increase the estimated construction costs to over 8 billion euros. Because existing port infrastructure is being redeveloped, no additional (natural) land needs to be sacrificed. The annual capacity of the container terminal to be developed on the Right Bank of the river Scheldt is 9 million containers (TEU), 2 million containers more than what the ECA plan provides. In addition, it helps to better distribute freight traffic over both banks of the river Scheldt, which will benefit the traffic flow in the port. Finally, it ensures that part of Antwerp's container handling will once again be in Flemish hands. With all these advantages, the alternative offers a feasible and efficient solution to the existing capacity problem in the Scheldt port. Antwerp can accommodate the expected growth of its container traffic and the economic engine of Belgium can continue to run. Katoen Natie Patrik Naenen en Vincent Vandecauter [caption id="attachment_13213" align="alignnone" width="512"] Artist Impression: new container terminal at the Bevrijdingsdok with a capacity of 9 million TEU per year[/caption]   8 MILJARD BESPAREN VIA ALTERNATIEF VOOR TWEEDE GETIJDENDOK De Antwerpse haven kampt met een capaciteitsprobleem voor container op- en overslag. Daardoor worden rederijen gedwongen om containerschepen te laten behandelen in omliggende havens zoals Zeebrugge, Rotterdam en Le Havre. Extra containercapaciteit is noodzakelijk om de positie van Antwerpen - als logistiek knooppunt in Europa - te verzekeren. Om de groei van de containertrafiek op te kunnen vangen, heeft de Vlaamse regering recent het licht op groen gezet voor het ECA plan (Extra Containerbehandelingscapaciteit Antwerpen). Dit plan voorziet in bijkomende ruimte voor zeven miljoen extra containers bovenop de huidige capaciteit van vijftien miljoen containers. Onder meer via de bouw van een nieuw dok op de Linker Scheldeoever, het zogenaamde Tweede Getijdendok. De ingebruikname van dit dok staat voorlopig gepland in 2030. Dat is veel te laat want de haven heeft de extra capaciteit nú nodig. Het Tweede Getijdendok bouwen en operationeel maken, is tevens een forse uitgave voor de overheid. Het prijskaartje – inclusief bijhorende infrastructuurwerken - wordt geschat op 8 miljard euro. Doordat dit een getijdendok is, slibt het dok snel dicht met zand en modder dat de Schelde er in afzet. Hierdoor is het noodzakelijk het dok regelmatig te baggeren om de benodigde diepte voor de containerschepen te waarborgen, hetgeen ook belangrijke kosten met zich meebrengt. Katoen Natie heeft daarbij een alternatief bedacht voor het nieuwe Tweede Getijdendok en onderzoekt of de groep SEA-invest – die reeds een containerterminal uitbaat aan het bevrijdingsdok – hierbij betrokken kan worden. Door de herontwikkeling van een 220 hectare groot concessieterrein rond het Bevrijdingsdok kan een bijkomende containerbehandelings-capaciteit van 9 miljoen containers (TEU) per jaar gerealiseerd worden. Naast een kaailengte van 4,4 km beschikt deze site op de Rechter Scheldeoever over uitstekende en reeds bestaande weg- én spoorverbindingen. Via deze alternatieve oplossing kan de overheid (en de belastingbetaler) minimum 8 miljard euro besparen en kan de haven van Antwerpen haar containercapaciteit op een zeer korte termijn uitbreiden zonder enige hinder voor de havengemeenschap en de burgers. [caption id="attachment_13210" align="alignnone" width="512"] Bevrijdingsdok als alternatief voor het Tweede Getijdendok[/caption]   ALTERNATIEVE OPLOSSING MET VELE VOORDELEN Dit alternatief kan onmiddellijk gerealiseerd worden. De bouw van het nieuwe Tweede Getijdendok, laat wellicht nog tien jaar op zich wachten waardoor geraamde bouwkosten aanzienlijk zullen stijgen tot boven de 8 miljard Euro. Doordat bestaande haveninfrastructuur wordt herontwikkeld, dienen er geen bijkomende (natuur)gronden opgeofferd te worden. De jaarlijkse capaciteit van de te ontwikkelen container terminal op de Rechter Scheldeoever bedraagt 9 miljoen containers (TEU), 2 miljoen containers meer dan wat het ECA plan voorziet. Daarnaast helpt het bij een betere spreiding van het vrachtverkeer over beide Scheldeoevers, wat de verkeersdoorstroming in de haven ten goede zal komen. Tot slot zorgt het ervoor dat een deel van de Antwerpse containerbehandeling opnieuw in Vlaamse handen komt. Met al deze voordelen biedt het alternatief een haalbare en efficiënte oplossing voor het bestaande capaciteitsprobleem in de Scheldehaven. Antwerpen kan de verwachte groei van haar containertrafiek opvangen en de economische motor van België kan verder blijven draaien. Katoen Natie Patrik Naenen en Vincent Vandecauter [caption id="attachment_13213" align="alignnone" width="512"] Artist Impression: nieuwe container terminal aan het Bevrijdingsdok met een capaciteit van 9 miljoen TEU per jaar[/caption]

  Read more
• 11.10.23

  Katoen Natie and Intergamma Unveil Innovative AutoStore Solution

   Partnership between Katoen Natie and Intergamma leads to a new storage and picking system with round the clock robots.

  Katoen Natie and Intergamma are now utilizing AutoStore, the world's fastest and most reliable order processing system per square meter, for e-commerce order deliveries to Intergamma's customers. This cube-shaped automated system, comprising approximately 900 m³ and equipped with 20 robots, has been in operation since the end of September 2023 at Katoen Natie's logistics platform in Kallo, which is the largest "multi-customer" logistics platform in Europe. The installation and implementation are part of a joint future project between Katoen Natie and Intergamma, following the recent extension of their successful 10-year partnership by an additional 5 years. For Intergamma, the Benelux leader in the DIY market and currently in a strong growth phase, this means that all its e-commerce products can reach private consumers even faster and more efficiently. "For Katoen Natie, the expertise built with AutoStore is an additional incentive to attract new customers to our logistics platforms with innovative solutions," says Fernand Huts, Chairman of Katoen Natie. Katoen Natie is implementing this goods-to-man automated storage and picking system for the first time at its Kallo logistics platform. This implementation is part of the shared desire of Katoen Natie and Intergamma to ensure they can continue to work together in a future-proof manner. Katoen Natie Engineering Solutions, Katoen Natie's in-house research department, is closely monitoring the process and operations, and is also exploring the opportunity to invest in additional AutoStore installations on other logistics platforms. Intergamma in a Growth Phase In the Benelux, Intergamma is the market leader in the DIY industry with three brands: GAMMA Netherlands, GAMMA Belgium, and Karwei, which together operate 384 stores in Belgium and the Netherlands. "Ongoing developments in Intergamma's online channels have led to increased volumes," says Joost De Beijer, CEO of Intergamma. "The new investment in AutoStore in collaboration with Katoen Natie aligns perfectly with our strategy, in which e-commerce will continue to be crucial in the future while we simultaneously make our supply chain more sustainable. We aim to evolve into a 'one-stop shop,' where consumers can turn to GAMMA and Karwei to address their entire DIY project in one go and have their supplies delivered or picked up wherever they prefer." Intergamma expects that the investment will ultimately lead to increased capacity, flexibility, better reliability, and lower costs.   How Does AutoStore Work? Bins with inventory are stacked 16 levels high next to and on top of each other within the grid. The grid is the customized aluminum rail system surrounding the bins and robots. Autonomous robots travel on top of the grid and continuously collaborate to retrieve stock for orders from the grid. They do this by lifting bins from the grid and rearranging them until they have the correct one. This bin is then presented at one of the 3 picking stations. The picker retrieves the goods from the bin and processes the order. The bin is returned to the grid. The algorithm ensures that stock for orders is always retrieved in the most efficient manner. This automation has no impact on existing jobs, as the pickers can now accomplish more with the same team. Additionally, it reduces picking errors, ensures continuous inventory management, optimal availability, and no single point of failure. Round the clock robots Customers can place orders online until 9:00 PM, and Katoen Natie hands over the packages to the carrier by 11:00 PM, ensuring that the packages are delivered to the customer's doorstep the next day. While Katoen Natie sleeps at night, the robots keep working. During the night, they ensure that the fast-moving products of Intergamma are always located in the top "drawers" of the grid and are thus picked up the fastest. All e-commerce orders for Intergamma are transmitted directly to AutoStore through the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) electronic data exchange system. AutoStore is also connected to Katoen Natie's existing packing automation. As a result, each box is automatically sealed after picking and is not touched until it is loaded. Since September 25, a significant portion of Intergamma's products has been picked by AutoStore robots at Katoen Natie. However, starting from the end of October, the planned stock of Intergamma will also be stored in AutoStore. This will include more than 21,000 items distributed across 31,000 bins, with 6,528 of them subdivided into 4 compartments, bringing the total to 50,584 locations with stock. Our Autostore in action on YouTube: Click Here

  Read more
• 19.07.23

  Embracing a Greener Future: Introducing Belgium's First Produced Electric Truck

  We are thrilled to share a momentous stride on our journey towards a more sustainable future. Today, we take great pride in announcing the launch of our very first electric truck at Katoen Natie - a groundbreaking achievement made possible by our valued partnership with Volvo Group Volvo Trucks Belgium. As a key step in our unwavering commitment to sustainability, the electrification of our esteemed truck fleet marks a transformative chapter in our organization's environmental efforts. With sustainability at the core of our values, this significant milestone sets the stage for a greener and more efficient logistics landscape. This moment wouldn't have been possible without the invaluable collaboration and support from Volvo Group Volvo Trucks Belgium, a partnership that epitomizes the potential impact of decarbonizing the transport industry on the entire logistics value chain. We are honored to have acquired this groundbreaking electric truck, powered by Volvo, which will play a vital role in servicing our esteemed customer, Atlas Copco. Through this strategic collaboration, we reaffirm our shared dedication to driving sustainable transportation practices. Join us in celebrating this achievement as we embark on a journey towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. At Katoen Natie, we believe that our people truly make the difference, and together, we can pave the way for a brighter and more environmentally responsible tomorrow. 🚚💚 #Sustainability #Innovation #ElectricTruck #GreenerFuture #Collaboration #Logistics #Transportation #KatoenNatie #SustainableTransport #EnvironmentalEfforts

  Read more
• 05.06.23

  Crossport Acquisition

  Katoen Natie is pleased to announce the acquisition of Crossport, a logistics service provider that offers warehousing and logistics services in Wachtebeke, near Ghent in Belgium. Following the recent take-over of Transport L'Ecluse, this is a second acquisition that strengthens our market position in the port of Ghent. On the right and left bank of the Ghent - Terneuzen canal, Katoen Natie owns and operates various logistics platforms with a total storage capacity of 375.000 m². By acquiring Crossport, we further expand our footprint in Ghent and we can even serve customers who import/export their cargo via the neighboring ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Terneuzen. Crossport has been founded in 2016 and offers value-added logistics services such as stuffing of containers and cross-docking of general cargo. The company employs 15 people and has a total storage capacity of 120,000 m² of which 51,000 m² are covered. In recent years, the management of Crossport has invested significantly to improve its warehouses and service level. Katoen Natie will follow this path forward and will secure the future growth of Crossport. We are convinced that the combination of Katoen Natie and Crossport will enable us to serve our customers in the port of Ghent even better than before.

  Read more