Starting January 1, 2025, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges will implement a 2.86% increase in tariffs across various port services, including sea-going vessels, inland shipping, and port area fees.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced tariff adjustments to take effect on January 1, 2025. The Board of Directors has set a general increase of 2.86%, in line with the August 2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI), following consultations with the port community. The adjustments apply to a range of tariffs across port services, affecting both Antwerp and Bruges-Zeebrugge platforms.
Key tariff increases Starting in January, a 2.86% increase will apply to:
- Sea-going vessels, inland shipping (Antwerp), and port area fees at Bruges-Zeebrugge.
- Usage of the 800-ton floating crane ‘Brabo’ (Antwerp), quays, storehouses, and terrains within Antwerp’s port area.
- Catering services within Antwerp’s port area.
- Floating dry docks. Towage tariffs will see separate adjustments. In the Antwerp docks, towage fees will rise by 2.57%, while Zeebrugge towage tariffs will increase by 3.11%.
Maritime specific adaptations Changes to tariffs for sea-going vessels include:
- An increase in waste contributions for vessels, with fees for smaller vessels (up to 3,000 GT) rising from €180 to €200 and for larger vessels (over 3,001 GT) from €250 to €270. The variable waste contribution will increase to €0.023 per GT, while the maximum waste contribution will rise from €1,200 to €1,250. A 10% discount will be introduced for vessels with an ISO14001 environmental certification.
- Waste disposal costs for the Bruges-Zeebrugge area will increase from €20 to €25 per m³.
- For the Antwerp port area, deposit fees will now align with those at Zeebrugge, resulting in a 100% increase in the invoice tonnage fee. Conditions for maintaining a bulk line designation will also change, requiring 100,000 tons of dry bulk or 300,000 tons of liquid bulk annually to retain the designation.
Inland navigation and concessions New quarterly subscription rates for commercial and estuary vessels are set for both Antwerp and Zeebrugge at 18 times the base rate. Adjustments will also be made to surcharge calculations for official reporting, and the daily rate for non-commercial recreational boating will be removed.
Several tariffs, such as shore power, drinking water, and ship operational waste fees, will remain unindexed, with costs reflecting actual consumption and processing expenses.
Licence fees and additional changes Concession fees and phased-out agreements at both Antwerp and Zeebrugge will also increase by 2.86%, including those linked to depot regimes and commercially varied base fees. However, rates with specific indexing agreements are exempt from this CPI adjustment.
Piloting and mooring adjustments The Brabo Group’s fees for mooring, unmooring, and piloting services behind the locks will see a 2.86% increase.
