PSA Antwerp (PSAA) and ITG Meerhout (BCTN), the largest inland container terminal in the Benelux region, have signed a cooperation agreement for the launch of a new barge connection between PSAA's North Sea Terminal (Quay 913) and BCTN in Belgium.

The service will be marketed under the name 'Meerhout – PSAA Express'.

PSA said this new service will commence from January 6, 2025, offering a tri-weekly connection with fixed calls at Quay 913 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

"With the 'Meerhout – PSAA Express' service, PSAA is taking the next step to further optimize its services with barge operators," the announcement said, adding that by working with fixed time slots and clear operational agreements, PSAA is increasing the predictability and reliability of barge handling.

"This enables barge operators to plan their operations more efficiently and offer a more consistent and reliable product to their customers," it added.

ITG Meerhout operates 24/7 and remains committed to investing in high delivery reliability. With the launch of this express service, the terminal will provide a timely, point-to-point connection to and from the PSAA terminals via a dedicated barge.

This will lead to shorter turnaround times, higher operational reliability, and greater transparency in the logistics chain for shippers and logistics service providers.

"The 'Meerhout – PSAA Express' service combines the strengths of PSA Antwerp and ITG Meerhout to deliver faster, more reliable and sustainable inland connections. By aligning operations and introducing fixed time slots, we're creating a seamless, predictable solution that helps our customers plan better and keep their supply chains moving efficiently," said Edward Tah, managing director, PSA Belgium.

David Huybrechts, general manager Zuid at ITG Meerhout (BCTN), said this fixed point-to-point connection between the PSAA terminal and the ITG terminal in Meerhout ensures a "reliable, guaranteed inland transit time that our customers can use to efficiently organize their import and/or export flows."

"This also allows us to offer an alternative to the increasing congestion and traffic problems on the roads to and from Antwerp. ​ As a result, ITG now has fixed calls at all major deep-sea terminals," he said.