Ports & Hubs: the value-added proposition & why it matters to all of us

No press or media, confidential, no recording, F&L competition law & antitrust compliance policies. This is an in-person “two-centre” Meeting: see ‘Venues’ tab to understand arrangements.    

21 April

International arrivals Antwerpen

22 April

Location: Ghent, on board Ship Denique II [see ‘Venues’ tab for details]

• 09:00 coffee & registration at Visitor Centre, North Sea Port
• 09:45 boarding Ship Denique II, opening & Welcome
• Increasingly volatile landscapes: implications for industry, supply chains & the new role of ports [CEO & director led]
• 11:40, ship sets sail
• F&L market overview: data & challenges
• Overview & Panel: collaboration is now a necessity [CEO & director led]
• Trading environment – regulatory background & EU positioning including a review of intra-European bottlenecks F&L 2014: what changed?  Competitiveness Compass: what has been done?  [Senior EU Commission, legal & industry leader led]
• Lunch & views of North Sea Port activities
• Community priorities – if so, what does this all mean?  Priorities in action against background of competitive & fast changing trading environment [industry leader led]
• Focus on defence – logistics matters.  Change and the need for specialist capabilities/skills.  Brigadier General & Director Logistics of the EU Military Staff & other key input]
• 16:30 disembark & transfer to Antwerp
• 19:00 Gala reception evening programme, Port of Antwerp Bruges

23 April

Location: Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Port House

• 09:00 Conclusions Day 1 & aims for Day 2: innovation, solutions & the way forward
• Dare to be different: frontrunners’ perspectives.  CEO Port of Antwerp Bruges & others tbc.
• Planning for solutions:
  • Session A – 5+ scenarios in a fast changing environment [Director led]
  • Session B – energy transition, infrastructure, investment & transport [Director led]
• Lunch
• Solutions in action: choice of behind the scenes closed door visits
  • Bertschi’s Antwerp Zomerweg Terminal AZT for dangerous goods storage and trimodal transport.  Strategically located in the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe, the terminal serves as an important hub for imports and exports to and from overseas markets.
  • CMB Tech – worldwide pioneer, hydrogen and ammonia technology development and production.
  • Vopak Energy Park – independent tank storage market leader, new green energy hub including ammonia storage, CO2 storage, Vioneo (methanol to olefins), etc
  • Air Liquide – first-of-its-kind large scale renewable ammonia cracking plant and innovative hydrogen liquefier. EU support – ENHANCE is the first European industrial-scale project for the production and distribution of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen using ammonia as a feedstock.
  • Ineos Inovyn – largest operator of electrolysis technology in Europe, producing 60k t of low-carbon hydrogen across multiple sites
  • Others may be confirmed.  
• 15:30 Close & transport to Antwerp Centraal for onward journeys.  

This meeting is for senior business leaders & their teams; people who are actively leading industry today.  

Participants will be shown in due course.  In the meantime, participants from recent meetings below – click on the ‘attendee’ tabs.

Participant list for F&L at Nike (Oct 2025)

Participant list for Poland (Apr 2025)

Participant list for Zaragoza Spain (Oct 2024)

International travel

• F&L sleeping hotel reserved in Antwerp for nights of Tues 21 & Wed 22 April 2026.
• Air – Brussels Zaventem airport (BRU) has a direct rail connection to Antwerp Centraal (approx 30 mins).  Brussels Charleroi (CRL) is further away – approx 2 hours by train to Antwerp Centraal – depending on time of day, you may be a little quicker by taxi.
• Rail – head for Antwerp Centraal.
• Car – parking at the F&L hotel in Antwerp and also if you choose to travel independently by car to Ghent on 22 April.

Overview

• Tues 21 April – no agenda but F&L hotel reserved in Antwerp & some may meet for dinner.
• Wed 22 April – programme in Ghent 09:45 – 16:30 followed by gala dinner in Antwerp (max 100).  We will take the train together from Antwerp to Ghent and back again.  Plenty parking both locations for those who prefer own transport.
• Thurs 23 April – programme continues in Antwerp 09:00 – 15:30.
• Sleeping hotel(s) – please see registration confirmation email for discount codes etc.

Venues 

Wed 22 April

• 07:45 / 08:00 those staying in Antwerp travel by train to Gent-Dampoort
• 08:45 NSP shuttle from Gent-Dampoort railway station to Visitor Centre
• 09:00 – 09:45 Coffee & registration Visitor Centre North Sea Port, Rigakaai 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium
• 09:45 – 16:15 on board Ship Denique II, boarding from Quay Rigakaai (next to the visitor Centre)
• 16:15 disembark & NSP shuttle to Gent-Dampoort railway station & trains to Antwerp Centraal
• 19:00 collection at F&L hotel Antwerp for evening programme & gala dinner

Thurs 23 April

• 08:45 PoAB shuttle to Antwerp Port House TBC
• 09:00 – 13:30 Antwerp Port House, Auditorium Marc Van Peel, Zaha Hadidplein 1, 2030 Antwerp including lunch
• 13:30 choice of visits 
• 15:30 PoAB shuttle to Antwerp Centraal TBC for onward journeys.

Dress Code

General businesswear.

Questions?

Welcome; please get in touch.