Corporate Guide Antwerp

ANTWERP

an atypical city that innovates at the speed of life

Port House, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects

A G AT E W A Y TO E U R O P E Antwerp puts Europe at your feet, offering excellent connectivity to both the North Sea and the continental mainland. The city lies at the crossroads of five major international motorways and several high-speed train connections. Its unique inland port and centrally located airport connect you to the entire world.

Brussels Airport, Belgium’s largest international airport, is just a stone’s throw away.

ANTWERP BRUSSELS

Helsinki 02:30*

Oslo 01:55*

Stockholm 02:10*

Copenhagen 01:30* Europe

Dublin 01:40*

AMSTERDAM

London 01:10*

LONDON

Hamburg 01:10*

Amsterdam 01:11

BERLIN Berlin 01:20* Frankfurt 01:05*

North and Central America

PARIS

Prague 01:50*

Paris 01:00* Thalys 02:02

South America

Munich 01:20*

Zurich 01:10* Geneva 01:10*

Vienna 01:40*

New York 08:25* Pacific region

Lyon 01:25*

Milan 01:30*

Mumbai 08:50* Delhi 07:40* Beijing 09:50* Moscow 03:20*

Bilbao 01:55*

Lisbon 02:40*

Madrid 02:15*

Barcelona 01:55*

Rome 02:00*

Africa

Near East

Tel Aviv 04:15*

* direct flights from Brussels Airport Middle and Far East

ANTWERP

an atypical city that innovates at the speed of life Welcome to Antwerp, an atypical metropolis in the heart of Europe.

Despite its relatively humble proportions, it boasts the second biggest port in the heart of Europe and its vast offering of cultural, professional and culinary delights is enhanced by more than 170 nationalities.

Shopping boutiques, museums, startup hubs, premium hotels, the historical home of Rubens and the world’s biggest diamond trade hub are all within strolling distance of each other. Antwerp embraces heritage and innovation, business and leisure, global ambitions and a genuine concern for nurturing a highly enjoyable quality of life for its temporary and permanent residents. This booklet hopes to be a short but comprehensive introduction to the many facets of the city.

Tucked inside the back cover you’ll find a pocket-sized map ‘to go’, an atypical route along the city’s most treasured sites. Because the best way to discover Antwerp is still by seeing and experiencing it yourself.

5 — Content table

A M E T R O P O L IS O N A HUMAN SCALE

page 04 – 13

Central to Europe and to the world Cruising into Europe A cosmopolitan character

A H A R B O U R FO R C R E AT I V I T Y

page 14 – 27

Building creative hubs Cut from a different cloth: Antwerp fashion The art of living Hand-crafted for global excellence

A D E DIC AT IO N TO I N N O V AT IO N

page 28 – 39

Sustainable industry and living For your e-health Come to Antwerp, change your mind Start me up

A CITY BY T H E W AT E R Industry by the water Living by the water A world port

page 40 – 49

6 — A metropolis on a human scale

A M E T R O P O L IS O N A HUMAN SCALE Antwerp is an atypical grand European city, characterised by unlikely and unique combinations.

City Hall, a palazzo for today’s politics Presiding proudly over the historic heart of Antwerp is the great City Hall. It has acted as a beacon since the Golden Age of the 16th century, when it provided a painterly backdrop for Antwerp as a thriving merchant trading hub.

Anyone who has visited or lived in Antwerp will recognise

the menu here. Historical spaces house vanguard startups

the feeling of having (almost) everything within reach.

built by gutsy entrepreneurs. Historic and popular culture

Geographically, the scale of Antwerp is quite compact.

live side by side with long-established global businesses,

But once you see what lies underneath the surface of its

sometimes even sharing venues. For centuries, a broad

map, you’ll soon discover this city offers opportunities on a

diversity of people, talent and industries has been drawn

truly global scale. Antwerp has found a way to combine its

to this pocket-sized metropolis where you can bike from

world leadership in terms of industry, creativity and retail,

one end to the other and discover the 2nd-largest port in

its undisputed n°1 position in the global diamond trade

Europe, the number one chemical cluster and integrated

and the wide range of facilities for maritime traffic with

oil in Europe and the largest diamond trade in the world

a unique quality of life. Run-of-the-mill is simply not on

along the way.

7 — A metropolis on a human scale

Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp Timelessly comfortable meeting rooms verge on historical event spaces and an impressive concert space, the Queen Elisabeth hall, where the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra dazzles its spectators. The FMCCA’s ideal location alongside Antwerp Central Station and the famous Zoo, paired with its original art nouveau design flanked by state-of-the-art architecture, rightly establishes it as one of the city’s preeminent meeting venues.

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2ND

largest port in Europe.

Europe’s leading integrated oil and chemical cluster

Belgium’s economic hub, oldest and biggest diamond centre in the world.

More than

500,000

inhabitants, making it Belgium’s second-most populous city.

8 — A metropolis on a human scale

Boerentoren, Europe’s first skyscraper The brink between the historic city centre and the popular Meir shopping high street is marked by the majestic Boerentoren, one of Europe’s oldest skyscrapers and home to the city’s youngest entrepreneurs. Hosting several young startups via incubator programmes, the tower is always abuzz with new ideas.

9 — A metropolis on a human scale

Central Station, a.k.a. ‘the Railroad Cathedral’ Antwerp Central Station has won its share of awards for its stunning architectural looks, but you’ll also be happy to know the high-speed train connections are beautifully punctual, putting Europe’s leading capitals within arm’s reach. Seeing the world doesn’t even have to involve boarding a train, as one of the oldest zoos in the world as well as the internationally prospering Diamond Quarter are right next door.

CENTRAL TO EUROPE AND TO THE WORLD Because of Antwerp’s location along the banks of the river Scheldt, the city offers unequalled access to wherever you need to go. The Port of Antwerp owes much of its current and historical success to its unique inland location. Ships

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60%

of Europe’s total purchasing power within a

500-KM

radius.

are able to navigate the wide, slow-streaming river up to 80 kilometres into the European mainland, enjoying a smoother, more cost-effective and more sustainable access to production and distribution centres. You can just as easily reach the North Sea as you can get to the

A

continental mainland. Local and reliable supply of raw materials is assured.

ANTWERP AIRPORT

The matchless combination of a great port, an extensive road network, a central station and international airports places Antwerp at a stone’s throw from every major European access point and consumer centre. Brussels, the core of the European Union, is a 45-minute drive away.

Antwerp Airport — a mere 7-minute drive from the historic city centre — connects travellers directly to destinations across the globe, allowing passengers to avoid the typically long queues and check-in procedures of the larger airports.

An ever-growing hotbed of international travel, Antwerp Airport now welcomes almost

300,000 passengers a year.

10 — A metropolis on a human scale

CRUISING INTO EUROPE Antwerp’s reputation for having the perfect mooring point right in the city centre to start exploring the rest of Europe draws in more than 100,000 cruise passengers each year from across all five oceans. The quays by the River Scheldt are the focus of major developing plans that will radically alter the sea-faring tourists’ first glimpse of Antwerp by injecting the landscape with more greenery and offering improved river views. The highlight of these plans will be an all-new expansive cruise terminal located around Het Steen, a medieval prison and the oldest building in the city.

As from end 2020, thanks to a new 350-metre pontoon, this central location will host a city shop, expos, an immersive experience and a roof terrace and will welcome every single cruise passenger looking to explore the city.

11 — A metropolis on a human scale

A COSMOPOLITAN CHARACTER Diversity plays a key role in Antwerp’s economic, cultural

The open, adventurous and dependable approach to these

and culinary development. The port’s rich history of

international contacts is part of the city’s DNA. Antwerp’s

exposing the city to numerous cultures has had an

collaborative cosmopolitan character is also felt in its

unparalleled positive effect on the city’s willingness to

devotion to its partner cities and programmes such as

embrace new ideas, products, flavours and opportunities.

the EUROCITIES cooperation platform, the promotion of Flemish classic masters and contemporary artists abroad

Antwerp has a palpable cosmopolitan buzz, pulling in

and the ‘Art Cities Flanders’ project, a collaboration

people from all over the world and venturing out to learn

between Flanders’ top five art cities to create new and

from the best and share its own valuable assets, knowledge

better opportunities for cultural tourism.

and talent across all continents.

The international aspects of the city are actively encouraged and deepened with numerous missions abroad and by supporting organisations and opening doors for business and community opportunities all over the world.

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Park Spoor Noord Urban renewal is making Antwerp a driving force for change. Minutes from the popular ‘Little Island’ port area, you’ll find Park Spoor Noord: a railway area turned into a green lung, dotted with loft-like event spaces.

Today, Antwerp is a major trade and cultural centre that

170

more than nationalities call home.

Antwerp Law Court, the Butterfly Palace

The Park Bridge

16 — A harbour for creativity

A HARBOUR FO R C R E AT I V I T Y Antwerp cherishes creativity in all its wondrous manifestations, from Peter Paul Rubens to the Antwerp Six and far beyond. Each casual stroll through Antwerp is an inspiring dip into a pool of creativity that’s centuries deep.

Royal Ballet School of Antwerp Since 1951, many Royal Ballet School of Antwerp graduates have gone on to land coveted spots at companies such as the Bolshoi, the American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet in the UK.

There’s much more to Antwerp’s cultural inventory than

diamond trade has created its own, truly unique tradition

Rubens masterpieces, museums and architecture. The

of jewellery design. This melting pot of creativity infuses

Antwerp design sector delivers more big names to the

the city streets with a bubbling atmosphere and a lust for

forefront each year via the renowned Product Development

life. The one art all Antwerpians have mastered is the art

course. The Antwerp fashion scene is revered just as

of living.

much as the ones in Paris and New York and the city’s

17 — A harbour for creativity

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Art lovers meet in the outdoor Middelheim Museum or in the countless little galleries and surrounding cafés in the South Area.

The Middelheim Museum

ANTWERP MASTERS

‘Antwerp Masters’ is a public exhibition spotlighting the work of more than

150

graduates of St Lucas School of Arts Antwerp and The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, integrating young artists and designers into the professional Antwerp art and design scene.

The Rubens House

18 — A harbour for creativity

The Cathedral of Our Lady Minor niggles such as only being half-finished never stood in the way of the Cathedral of Our Lady’s magnificence – and its UNESCO World Heritage status. A marvel of Gothic architecture, the cathedral houses a great art collection, including four Peter Paul Rubens paintings and the contemporary bronze sculpture ‘The Man Who Bears the Cross’ by Jan Fabre, all basking in the light of precious stained-glass windows.

19 — A harbour for creativity

B U I L DI N G C R E AT I V E HUBS

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CREATIVE BOOM

The Antwerp creative economy is more vibrant than ever, spanning

9,000

almost businesses and accounting for W.A.T.T. W.A.T.T. Tower is a great example of the many creative hubs that enrich the city: former electric company offices now house a co-working concept sparking Antwerp’s sharing economy.

PAKT Antwerp’s creative economy thrives in PAKT (photo): Green Quarter warehouses turned into hotspots of sustainable enterprise with its popular ateliers, shops, experiences and even an ecological rooftop horticulture project.

Winkelhaak/House of C Another breeding ground always looking out for the next big creative concept is the Winkelhaak/House of C project, a co-working place for creative entrepreneurship that fosters stable growth for small businesses through cross-pollination of bright ideas.

PAKT

20,000

jobs. In fact, one in six Antwerp businesses are part of the creative industry.

20 — A harbour for creativity

Antwerp Six: Marina Yee, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck & Dirk Van Saene

21 — A harbour for creativity

CUT FROM A DI F F E R E N T C LOT H : A N T W E R P F A S H IO N Antwerp is synonymous with fashion, owing much of its prominence to the legendary Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp Fashion Department. The reasons many star designers have stayed in Antwerp long after their graduation catwalk triumphs can be found in the city’s strategic location near Europe’s other fashion capitals and its strong reputation as the ideal test market. The affordable rent pricing and cosmopolitan character of the city are key factors in the attraction of local retailers and international flagship stores. The city continually invests in its shopping districts through infrastructure upgrades and increased accessibility to shopping areas.

FAST TRACK Six names have changed contemporary fashion for good, and they each found their footing in the famed Antwerp Fashion Academy. Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee broke away from the style norms of their time and became a global sensation after holding a renegade group show in London in 1986. Thanks to the success of this visionary group and their formidable

Over

20,000

people work in Belgium’s fashion industry, generating over seven billion euros each year.

impact on the Fashion Academy’s legacy, the city of Antwerp will forever be equated to and provided with the most forward-thinking fashion design in the world. Each year, graduates from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp have been appointed to key positions in various international fashion houses, like Nina Ricci (Rushemy Botter) and Balenciaga (Demna Gvasalia).

50%

of all Belgian retailers choose Antwerp to set up their offices.

22 — A harbour for creativity

Stadsfeestzaal Where else can you pick up some delicious Belgian chocolates and shop for name brand clothing in a renovated European palace?

23 — A harbour for creativity

THE ART OF LIVING The good life finds fertile ground in Antwerp, where vacant lots are transformed into pop-up experiences, cinemas big and small entertain film buffs, concert and dance studios fill the air with sound and galleries cater to every art niche.

Museum buffs have no shortage of opportunities to add new ticket stubs to their collection. Must-visits include the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, the Rubens House, the Snijders&Rockox House, the Museum Mayer van den Bergh, DIVA, M HKA and the Plantin-Moretus Museum (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005).

The city’s seven shopping areas include go-to’s like the majestic ‘Stadsfeestzaal’ and the Fashion District - a style utopia spanning the MoMu Fashion Museum, Flanders

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District of Creativity and Fashion Academy with big designer stores as well as boutiques stocking the finest streetwear, vintage and graduate designs.

Wilde Zee Shoppers and lovers of great food come together in the famous area Wilde Zee.

If you prick up your ears, you’ll soon discover Antwerp’s pop music scene or internationally revered institutes like the Flemish Opera House or deSingel, where theatre, dance and architecture share a stage. Follow your nose and you’ll have no trouble locating the many terraces and culinary events the city accommodates. Fries, chocolate and beer, the pillars of Belgian gastronomy, never waver in popularity while local delicacies like the ‘Antwerp hands’ biscuits, the ‘Bolleke’ beer and the ‘Elixir d’Anvers’ liqueur embody the city’s rich culinary traditions. Since Antwerp is a world port, the regional specialties are often enriched with an array of international flavours.

WHAT’S BREWING IN ANTWERP?

Antwerp beer culture comes alive in three small but iconic artisanal local breweries: City Brewery De Koninck where local favourite ‘Bolleke’ is made, authentic house brewery ‘t Pakhuis and the Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie known for its beloved Seef beer.

24 — A harbour for creativity

HAND-CRAF TED FOR GLOBAL EXCELLENCE The City of Antwerp has had a distinct shine to it since 1447,

1,600 specialised companies work with the Diamond

when it first claimed the Diamond Capital title. In this,

Office to ensure transparency and compliance in the entire

the oldest and largest diamond centre in the world, the

industry. Within a single square mile, 86% of the global

industry has pushed every boundary in diamond cutting,

rough diamond trade and 50% of the cut gemstone trade

jewellery design and technology. It remains as lucrative

is handled, adding up to a total value of 84 billion dollars.

today as it was in the 15th century. Over 5 centuries of

The Antwerp’s Most Brilliant quality label is Antwerp’s

tradition have made the city the unrivalled crown jewel

guarantee to consumers wishing to purchase at the very

of rough and cut diamond trading and manufacturing.

best and most trustworthy jewellers the city has to offer.

Together with the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, nearly

DIVA, a precious addition to Antwerp’s jewellery designer scene The rich past and future of the Antwerp diamond industry merge in DIVA Antwerp Home of Diamonds. DIVA is a unique experience, providing visitors with the opportunity to discover authentic pieces and learn about the history and craftsmanship behind Antwerp’s diamonds, jewellery and gold- and silversmithing. DIVA’s signature traits are fascinating story-telling and immersive productions.

25 — A harbour for creativity

A N T W E R P DI A M O N D F A CT S

E A C H DI A M O N D T R A V E LS T H R O U G H A N T W E R P AT L E A S T O N C E

DI A M O N D S T R A D E D IN ANTWERP

86% of rough diamonds

I N A N T W E R P W E S P E A K DI A M O N D

70

50% of cut diamonds

nationalities working in the Antwerp diamond trade

THE BRILLIANT SHAPE DI A M O N D B O U R S E S

4 out of 30 diamond bourses worldwide are in Antwerp, including the only rough diamond bourse

90%

of colourless diamonds are cut in the ‘brilliant’ shape, developed in Antwerp in 1919

International arts campus deSingel

Trading at the Antwerp Diamond Bourse

Port House, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects

30 — A dedication to innovation

A D E DIC AT IO N TO I N N O V AT IO N

When it comes to international corporate networks and

collaborating with the University of Antwerp, the Port of

innovation capacity, Antwerp ranks number 188 of 500

Antwerp, imec (the world-leading research and innovation

cities worldwide in the Innovation Cities Index 2018, that

hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies), and the

measures the potential of innovation performance. In the

technology federation Agoria. The Beacon specialises in

latest Startup Genome report Antwerp is being described

IoT/AI in industry, port logistics and smart city. With the

as an “early globalization ecosystem”. In “Internet of

help of The Beacon the Port of Antwerp is developing a

Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)” Antwerp is

smart port to at least maintain a major position in the

the leading Belgian hotspot and becoming a European

global competitive environment of ports.

reference. In the business and innovation hub the city is

31 — A dedication to innovation

CIRCULAR ECONOMY S U S TA I N A B L E WASTE PROCESSING

E N E R G Y P R O D U CT IO N FROM WASTE

BELGIUM

75%

13%

of waste is recycled

of our energy production

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

R&D

RENEWABLE ENERGY

LOGISTICS

RE-UPCYCLING

INDUSTRY

B L U E G AT E A N T W E R P

36 HA.

3 KM TO THE CITY CENTRE

32 — A dedication to innovation

S U S TA I N A B L E INDUSTRY AND LIVING Antwerp’s dedication to sustainable innovation is just as tangible in business and industry as it is in the development of ecologically sound living areas. Recent projects include “Blue Gate Antwerp”, a sustainable and innovative business park, and “BlueChem”, a world-leading incubator for sustainable chemistry and Belgium’s largest private heating network in the “New South” residential area.

Creating a warmer, sustainable climate in the “New South” “New South” is a great example of how previously neglected locations are (literally) being made to flourish thanks to careful planning and forward-thinking commissioning. Aside from its stand-out architectural aesthetics, this publicly commissioned private project owes its status of ‘new place to be/work/play/ live’ to having the largest garden in the city and the largest private heating network in the land.

33 — A dedication to innovation

FO R YO U R E - H E A LT H Health is on the threshold of a digital revolution with the rise of e-health, the use of digital applications to better the working lives of healthcare professionals and patients. It’s a prosperous business and Antwerp has already nabbed an important spot in this growth cluster.

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ANTWERP IS A ‘LIVING LAB’

In collaboration with ‘imec’, Antwerp has transformed itself into a Smart City using an intricate network of sensors and gateways.

Anyone can access the collected data to build new smart applications and improve urban life.

Antwerp has more than

BlueHealth Innovation Centre powered by Microsoft Innovation Centre is the result of private, public, university and hospital interests coming together to set up an incubator for entrepreneurs planning to use digital technology to improve the healthcare system. BlueHealth Innovation Centre has its own floor in the ambitious StartupVillage project.

4,000 hospital beds and more than 20 active healthcare

facilities. The BlueHealth Innovation Centre connects this enormous stock of patient data with the ideas and ambitions of young entrepreneurs.

34 — A dedication to innovation

C O M E TO A N T W E R P , C H A N GE YO U R M I N D World-famous creative minds have settled here from all over the globe, often sticking around after completing one of the unique and international-minded educational

W O R L D - C L A S S E D U C AT IO N I N T EG R AT E D I N TO C I T Y L I F E & B U S I N E S S C U LT U R E

courses on offer.

Having approx. 50,000 students of many nationalities roam the streets helps keep the Antwerp spirit fresh

Creativity goes hand in hand with sound business acumen, the best of which is doled out at the Financial Timesranked Antwerp Management School.

and open-minded. The student body is a tightly knit community, transcending courses and institutions. This young and highly educated population makes Antwerp the ideal breeding ground for startups and spin-offs that are revolutionising literally hundreds of professional areas.

Belgium’s fastest-growing university, various globally respected colleges, business incubators and knowledge and competence centres all cooperate closely with the rest of the exceptionally productive local economy. The secret?

A solid network of universities and colleges offering worldclass education and research, paired with a positive, proud and dedicated work ethic.

The University of Antwerp, with campuses all over the city, is world-famous for its qualitative and innovative research. A brand-new postgraduate course, The Internet of Things, is a unique programme training a new generation of computer science experts to lead the Smart City of Antwerp into the future.

Artesis Plantijn University College welcomes its students into a recently renovated, high-tech campus whose facilities include a fully functioning operating theatre for aspiring health care professionals.

Karel de Grote University College prides itself in gathering together many different talents to create a multidisciplinary way of thinking and working. Its varied programmes include a unique Multimedia Technology training with practical innovation for 3D, 4D, virtual reality and more.

The Maritime Academy offers training to a student body hailing from 26 different countries. 38% of the academy’s students applied from abroad.

As pioneers in today’s progress on HIV/AIDS research, the Institute of Tropical Medicine changes lives via education, medical services and health systems for developing countries. Antwerp scientists were the ones to forge some of the biggest breakthroughs against vast threats like zika, ebola and malaria.

To further strengthen the link between business and education, students can apply for the official status of ‘student-entrepreneur’. This status grants you special consideration during exams, additional coaching and access to specific facilities and events, all in order to help you combine your studies with your budding business aspirations.

35 — A dedication to innovation

The Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp The prestigious Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts is considered to be one of the most important and influential fashion schools around. Alumni and faculty include powerhouse designers such as Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela and Demna Gvasalia.

36 — A dedication to innovation

StartupVillage StartupVillage is Antwerp’s flagship startup hub: a place where young startups, big businesses, mentors and investors connect in one historic building to kindle economic expansion locally and abroad. The village’s techpacked nerve centre is De Serre, a stylish multifunctional event space.

37 — A dedication to innovation

S TA R T M E U P The City of Antwerp contains a lively startup scene and a remarkably young, creative and IT-savvy population of early adopters. Multiple incubators and accelerators connect venture capital investors with promising entrepreneurial pursuits and several local government programmes provide support in the form of affordable office spaces and expert advice. As a testing ground for innovative ideas, Antwerp provides young companies from all areas (Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, eHealth, energy, data management, design, advertising, fashion etc.) with valuable feedback that prepares them for the global stage.

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TAKEOFFANTWERP

Business incubators and accelerators divide their attention between pre-start and start-up businesses and stimulate growth through housing, seed capital, administration and technical support, contacts, management advice and much more.

supports students during their first steps in the world of startups and independent entrepreneurship.

You can find TAKEOFFANTWERP at the GATE15 site, where students from all Antwerp universities and university colleges work and study together. GATE15 is a unique structural alliance between the city of Antwerp, its higher education institutions and the student body.

Institute of Tropical Medicine

Artesis Plantijn University College

42 — A city by the water

A CITY BY T H E W AT E R Antwerp is what it is today ­– a metropolis on a human scale with a world port ­– thanks to its location by the river Scheldt.

The Antwerp waterfront is a constant source of enrichment for the city. Historical parts of the port are being developed into museums, hang-outs and more while the current port also keeps developing its wide range of facilities for maritime traffic heading to any destination around the globe.

The Scheldt The river Scheldt, connecting Antwerp with the world (and vice versa) for centuries.

43 — A city by the water

Thanks to its location 80 kilometers inland within Europe, Antwerp offers the fastest and most sustainable connection with the European hinterland. The largest container ships in the world are welcomed at the port of Antwerp.

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Europe’s most integrated oil and chemical cluster.

Innovation, circular economy and sustainability in general are the drivers for a future-orientated port.

INDUSTRY BY T H E W AT E R For many European companies, the Port of Antwerp is the main link with other continents, and for many companies in remote corners of the world it is the gateway to Europe.

The port is home to Europe’s, and one of the world’s, most integrated oil and chemical clusters supported by world players in the contracting and logistics sectors. The port of Antwerp has over 1000 kilometres of intra-port pipeline infrastructure making it the most important node in Europe’s pipeline network. The cluster offers mutually beneficial synergies via the integration of products and

1

Number polymer hub in Europe.

energy.

7,5 m liquid bulk 3

storage capacity.

44 — A city by the water

LIVING BY T H E W AT E R The Antwerp experience is not fully complete without spending some time overlooking the glistening waterfront.

The river Scheldt impacts the city’s flow of life in its own unique way. For some Antwerp residents, it’s part of the daily routine to cycle underneath tons of water on their way home. Visitors and locals alike mingle by the marina to soak up culture and ancient tales in the ‘Little Island’ museums. Life gets a splash more exceptional by the water.

St Anna’s Tunnel A piece of living history, the St Anna’s Tunnel, or ‘Underpass’, connects the city’s left and right banks to ease the green commute and add a tinge of 1933 interbellum flair.

45 — A city by the water

The ‘Little island’ by the stream Antwerp’s oldest port area is called the ‘Little Island’, better known to locals as ‘Het Eilandje’. With its historic warehouses and cobblestone docks no longer teeming with sailors, the area is now home to lively lounges and restaurants, the Red Star Line museum and the stunningly modern MAS museum.

MAS, Museum aan de Stroom MAS collects and connects centuries of encounters into stories. Inside the stunning architecture of this building, these stories are revealed floor by floor. On the panoramic roof terrace, the city, the Scheldt and the port can be seen from 60 metres above sea level.

46 — A city by the water

PORT OF ANTWERP A R E L I A B L E S U P P LY C H A I N P A R T N E R

EUROPEAN MARKET LEADER

for steel and sugar

LARGEST COFFEE & CACAO STORAGE PORT

B IG G E S T I N D O O R S T O R A G E CAPACITY IN WESTERN EUROPE

Av. 600,000 tonnes of coffee and cacao beans stored at any moment

6.15m3 of space (615 hectares)

47 — A city by the water

A WORLD PORT Antwerp stands out as a multifunctional world-class port

a leader with a very significant cargo-generating capacity

thanks to the presence of handling and logistics companies

due to the presence of the largest European chemical

in combination with a world-renowned industrial complex

cluster and close proximity of the markets. An international

within the port. The integrated coordination of various

port is naturally suited to innovative projects and offers a

services and the port’s excellent, intermodal connections

unique testbed for transformation projects. NxtPort - a data

to the European hinterland, make Antwerp’s port the

sharing platform - energy transition, circular economy, new

European distribution hub par excellence. Being an

challenges, the port of Antwerp opts resolutely for strong

essential link in the global supply chains, Antwerp’s port is

partnerships and a sustainable future through innovation.

Churchill Industrial Zone The Churchill Industrial Zone is an investment project (88 ha) ideally suited for activities in, among others, manufacturing and process industries with the focus on the transition to circular economy.

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90,000 pallet spaces Refrigerated storage space

The port of Antwerp’s digital connectivity enables cargo & vessel tracking and booking, route planning and much more.

PortXL The world’s first port & maritime accelerator for Antwerp, centred around building client relations in the local ecosystem and matching scaleups with partners. The main focus is on lead generation.

The port of Antwerp strives to reconcile economic, social and ecological interests.

Port of Antwerp

Dock worker at Port of Antwerp

50 — Content table

51 — Content table

52 — Colophon

REFERENCES Stad in Cijfers Flanders Investment and Trade 2thinknow, Innovation Cities Index 2018 Eurostat, numbers 2016 VKBO 2015 Flanders DC

C O LO P H O N Responsible editor:

Contact the City of Antwerp

Karin De Craecker, Grote Markt 1, 2000 Antwerp

International City Marketing: for all the queries related to the international promotion of the city: promotional

Legal depot number:

tools, opportunities for collaboration, contact point for

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international press and media. » connect2antwerp@antwerpen.be

Coordination: City of Antwerp,

Business & Innovation: your partner in developing

Judith van Oost and Eva Janssens

projects, building ecosystems and matchmaking with new partners. We help you in your business needs, as we are

Text editing unit:

“open for business”.

KNOTORYUS

» invest@antwerpen.be

Printed by:

International and diplomatic affairs: for networking and

Graphius

cultural events, diplomatic relations and partnerships to maintain and improve Antwerp’s international reputation.

Graphic design:

» externe.relaties@antwerpen.be

Mirror Mirror Visit Antwerpen: promoting Antwerp as a destination and Copyright images:

supplying advice and inspiration for event organisers,

Lebak Photography, Tom Cornille, www.woodmonkey.be,

travel writers, cruise lines, travel trade and other

FMCCA | Jonas Verhulst, Tom Dhaenens, Frederik Beyens,

potential touristic partners.

Jonathan Ramael, Karin Borghouts, Elvire Van Ooteghem,

» business@visitantwerpen.be

Niko Caignie, Victoriano Moreno, Marleen Daniëls, Jan Steylemans, Jan Crab, De Koninck | stillmation.

Contact Antwerp Port Authority

photography & www.ilovelight.be, Donald Woodrow, Joris

» Port House

Casaer, AWDC, Sigrid Spinnox, Kathleen Michiels, Artesis

Zaha Hadidplein 1

Plantijn University College, Britt Guns, Mareen Fischinger,

2030 Antwerp

Michel Dauchy, imec, © Architecten: Port House | Zaha

» info@portofantwerp.com

Hadid Architects, Palace of Justice | TV RRP/VK/OAP, MAS |

+32 3 205 2011

Neutelings Riedijk Architects, Nieuw Zuid | Baumschlager-

» www.portofantwerp.com

Eberlé i.s.m. Styfhals & Partners No part of this publication may be used by third parties without written consent from the City of Antwerp.

Living the good life at the ‘Little Island’ by the stream

Antwerp, the city with the strongest belief that there’s always a different way.