Port Oostende: another step closer to seaward expansion
Seaward expansion
For more than two years now, Port Oostende has been working on a possible seaward expansion of its port area. The ships, the wind turbines, as well as the components are getting bigger and bigger and to maintain its leading position in the blue economy, Port Oostende has pleaded with the Flemish Region for a seaward expansion. More specifically, this involves a quay wall with an adjacent installation site on the Eastern breakwater.
An environmental impact study has already been carried out which shows that there are no negative effects. In addition to the environmental impact study, various technical studies and a cost price calculation were also carried out. An analysis in cooperation with Ghent University is currently made. The next step in the process is a Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA).
Port Oostende will have a Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) for a quay wall with adjacent installation site carried out by ECSA. ESCA is the acronym for European Centre for Strategic Analysis. It started in 1995 and since then has concentrated on projects relating to transport and ports.
The team that focuses on the Port Oostende project is led by Prof. Dr. Elvira Haezendonck; professor at the Solvay Business School of the Free University of Brussels and at the University of Antwerp and Prof. Dr. Michaël Dooms of Solvay Business School/VUB. They have a very long experience in such assignments.
The new infrastructure will be used for the development of new wind farms at sea and will be built in the Eastern outer port of Oostende adjacent to the Eastern breakwater.
The project is extremely important in the context of energy transition and will contribute to the further economic development of Port Oostende and the entire Ostend region. It also contributes to job creation, greater energy independence, technological and industrial development. This expansion can also have an important impact on coastal defence. Coastal defence will be one of the most important issues in the next decades due to climate change.
With this, Port Oostende continues to build on the future for young and old.
"Today 399 wind turbines are operational in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Several companies maintain these installations at sea from Port Oostende. The unique assets of the REBO terminal combined with a new quay wall with adjacent installation area will benefit the further growth of the blue economy in our region."
"The port landscape is changing worldwide at a super-fast pace. Port Oostende is among the world's best in terms of the blue economy, but it must therefore adapt to guarantee the continuity of activities and employment in the future. In addition, this expansion is also an important link in the framework of coastal defence as the impact of climate change is being felt all over the world in coastal areas."
Port Oostende
Port Oostende focuses on continuity, growth, and employment within five pillars: Blue Economy, Bulk & Project Cargo, Cruises & Roll-on-roll-off, Circular Industry and the Fisheries Sector. These sectors are further developed based on two foundations: prioritising safety, health, and the environment and, secondly, supporting innovation and development.