Antwerp port has successfully completed a three-year initiative to enhance its infrastructure, enabling it to accommodate container ships with a draft of 16 meters. This significant achievement positions Antwerp as the premier port of call for the world’s largest ships. The collaborative effort involved six meticulous test voyages, with the final trial featuring the MSC Raya on November 10, 2023. Today, MSC Aurora marks the first container ship to navigate Antwerp with a 16-meter draft under the regular admission policy, signifying the official implementation of this crucial advancement.
Previously restricted to a draft of 15.56 meters, the increased draft was made possible through close collaboration among MSC Belgium, Maritime Services and Coast Agency (MDK) pilots and traffic controllers, Dutch pilots, the Joint Nautical Authority (GNA), and Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The successful tests commenced on March 1, 2021, with MSC Regulus and MSC Rapallo, followed by MSC Diletta and MSC Isabella. MSC Tessa set a depth record of 16 meters on October 2, 2023. With the official implementation of the 16-meter draft, Antwerp port is now equipped to welcome the world’s largest ships, providing an additional capacity gain of approximately 1000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) exclusively for container ships navigating to the Deurganck dock.
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