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Port Oostende one step closer to seaward expansion
The project is important in the context of energy transition and will contribute to the further economic development of Port Oostende and the entire Oostende region.
For more than two years, Port Oostende has been working on a possible seaward expansion of its port area. Vessels, ofshore wind turbines, and their components are getting bigger and in order to maintain its leading position in the blue economy, Port Oostende has argued for a seaward expansion.
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF PORT OOSTENDE.
More specifcally, this concerns a quay wall with adjacent installation site on the eastern breakwater. An environmental impact study has been executed showing there are no negative efects. In addition to the environmental impact study, various technical studies and a cost price calculation were also carried out. A fow analysis in collaboration with Ghent University is currently underway. The next step in the process is a Social CostBeneft Analysis (SCBA).
Social Cost-Beneft Analysis
Port Oostende will have ECSA perform this SCBA. ESCA is the acronym for European Center for Strategic Analysis. It has been in existence since 1995 and has since mainly been involved in projects related to transport and ports.
The seaward expansion at the port of Oostende concerns a quay wall with adjacent installation site on the eastern breakwater.
The team that focuses on the Port Oostende project is led by Prof. Dr. Elvira Haezendonck, Professor at the Solvay Business School of the University of Brussels, and Prof. Dr. Michaël Dooms of Solvay Business School/UB at the University of Antwerp. They have extensive experience in such assignments.
Important
The new infrastructure will be used for the development of new ofshore wind farms and will be built in the Eastern outer harbour of Oostende, adjacent to the Eastern breakwater. The project is important in the context of energy transition and will contribute to the further economic development of Port Oostende and the entire Oostende region. In addition, it contributes to job creation, greater energy independence, technological and industrial development. This expansion can also have a signifcant impact on coastal defence, which will be one of the main topics in the coming decades due to climate change.
Dirk Declerck – CEO Port Oostende.
Further growth
With this project, Port Oostende continues to build on the future for young and old. Charlotte Verkeyn, Chairman Port Oostende, says, “Today, 399 wind turbines are operational in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Various companies maintain these installations at sea from the port of Oostende. The advantages of the REBO heavy-weight terminal in combination with a new quay wall with adjacent installation site will beneft the further growth of the blue economy in our region.” Dirk Declerck, CEO Port Oostende, adds, “The port landscape is changing worldwide at a rapid pace. Port Oostende is one of the world leaders in the feld of the blue economy, however, it must therefore adapt to ensure the continuity of activities and employment in the future. In addition, this expansion is also an important link in the context of coastal defence as the impact of climate change is being felt hard in coastal areas worldwide.”
