Port of Antwerp – ESPO initiative
Antwerp’s Information Ring is designed to bring people closer to the port
“Soft values” are key, says the port of Antwerp, pointing out that although economic activities form the basis for local community support, attention must also be paid to issues such as liveability, environment and heritage.
Unfortunately, despite the ports inextricable relationship with the city, “out of sight is out of mind” a lot of time.
To bring Antwerp citizens, and by extension other people, into closer contact with the port, the port authority has set up the Port Information Ring.
This is a route running through more than 13,000 hectares on the right and the left banks of the river Scheldt bringing visitors to widely differing areas within the port. The starting point is the MAS Port Pavilion, which houses a museum featuring river, city, modern port and the old port area.
Other features on the route will be the new Port House, designed by Zaha Hadid and planned to open in 2014, and the educational Port Centre Lillo, the Antwerp Coordination Centre and the Visitors’ Centre for the new lock.
The port also points out that every year tens of thousands of people –including local residents and schoolchildren visit the port by boat, car or bicycle. As the visual quality of the port is important to its inland setting, particular attention has been paid to suitable architecture. So the port has organised various architectural competitions for development of the Port Authority headquarters, the MAS Port Pavilion, the Antwerp Coordination Centre and the second lock's Visitors’ Centre.
The Port Authority is currently collaborating with Port Centre Lillo, MAS and Antwerp Tourism & Congress to develop various formulas for different kinds of port visits. Tours by boat, by car and bicycle already exist but the port says it would like to expand the possibilities, with other initiatives, including guided tours by bus, boat, car, bike or scooter.
Further there are recreational and landscape programmes, as the port has helped to set up nature reserves within the port area working together with the Natuurpunt Conservation Society.
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