Interview with Mr. Jan Van der Borght, Chief Representative China of Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority, Economic Diplomatic Advisor to the Belgian Embassy

Longyu Xue, China Ship Survey

As core hubs of the global supply chain, ports stand at the forefront of industry transformation. On one hand, international maritime environmental regulations continue to tighten, the adoption of green alternative fuels keeps advancing, and decarbonization has shifted from a long-term goal to a mandatory compliance requirement. On the other hand, technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence and big data are deeply embedded in port operations, and digitalization is emerging as a key driver for reshaping operational efficiency and supply chain resilience. With this dual transformation unfolding alongside the normalization of supply chain volatility, the global port and shipping sector is seeking answers to what defines future competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, the 2026 Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum (MPF), themed “Resilient Synergy, Shared Prosperity”, was held in Ningbo, providing a dialogue platform for Chinese and international port and shipping stakeholders to exchange insights and advance practical cooperation. During the forum, China Ship Survey conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Jan Van der Borght, Chief Representative China of Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority, Economic Diplomatic Advisor to the Belgian Embassy.

Mr. Jan Van der Borght, Chief Representative China of Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority, Economic Diplomatic Advisor to the Belgian Embassy

As Europe’s chemical hub and a front-runner in green fuel bunkering, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges has forged a distinctive transformation path leveraging its well-established industrial base and transport network. In the interview, drawing on the port's on-the-ground experience, Van der Borght explained how the port authority advances industry decarbonization through information services and financial incentives, shared hands-on expertise in green fuel supply chain development and digital twin port operations, and offered his perspectives on future port competitiveness and the outlook for China-Europe port cooperation. He reemphasized that logistics is not merely a cost, but an integral component of the product that directly shapes its quality and value. He also stressed that decarbonization challenges can only be addressed through collective and collaborative efforts.

Q1: With the implementation of regulations including the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime, shipping companies are facing growing compliance pressure. What support can the Port of Antwerp-Bruges Authority provide in this regard?

A：First, it is important to understand that the role of a port authority in Europe is not exactly the same as what we see in China. Historically, European port authorities functioned primarily as a landlord. Today, while we still retain that function, our role has evolved substantially. We continue to regulate and oversee port operations, but we have become much more of a community builder, meaning we also serve as a facilitator. My presence here in China as a port representative — promoting the port and facilitating connections with local governments, among other tasks — is not what a port authority would typically do in the past.

With respect to your question, we provide extensive information to stakeholders. We also work to motivate and drive the industry forward in its decarbonization efforts. This is challenging, as decarbonization often requires additional investment. This is also where you see the difference between China and Europe. Take shore power supply as an example: in China, shore power infrastructure is typically developed and provided by port authorities. In Europe, by contrast, such investments have to be done by private industry, creating a completely different dynamic. So what we do as a port authority is try to offer financial incentives to encourage them to move forward.

Q: The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a front-runner in the development of green fuel bunkering facilities. Drawing on your practical experience, what key factors have positioned the port as a leader in this area, and how can this experience inform the development of a global green fuel supply chain?

A: When we are talking about bunkering, it is worth noting that Antwerp-Bruges has long ranked among the top five bunkering ports in the world. Recently, that landscape has changed a little bit with the introduction of green molecules. We are in a favorable position for the mere reason that our port is the chemical hub of Europe. It is historically a chemical centre. Our port hosts an integrated industrial park with production capacity, bringing together three core functions — industry, maritime and logistics — in a single area. This unique combination provides us with extensive expertise, skilled personnel, and the infrastructure necessary to properly, safely, efficiently and effectively handle all those new products. Many other ports have to start from scratch, whereas we already have everything in place.

A port is not an island. It is a gateway connecting to and from the industry and we have robust connectivity in this regard. One of our port’s advantages is that we are extremely well connected not only by inland waterways, rail and road networks, but also by an extensive pipeline system. When gas arrives at our platform, it can be transported by pipeline to the chemical cluster in Antwerp, and from there further distributed to chemical industries across Germany, the Netherlands, south of Belgium, and beyond. All that infrastructure is already there.

In the whole transition, industry players are both motivated and under significant pressure to shift to green molecules. For us as a port, it is important that we make sure that a comprehensive range of fuel supply options are available. Whether customers require ammonia, methanol, or hydrogen, these are available in our port. We actually have a hydrogen filling station next to our headquarters for barges and trucks, and I believe that was one of the first in Europe. We were a bit of a front-runner in this field, simply because we already were fairly well prepared. It is important to make sure that people have that choice. At the same time, conventional fuels remain accessible.

We have invested significant time, energy and money in in pilot projects for green molecules at our port, which has strengthened our attractiveness. We are not only attractive in terms of bunkering: these green molecules are used not only in the transport sector, but also in industrial applications. Our industry needs those molecules as well, either for fuel or as raw material, as feedstock. So there is really a high demand for those products in our port, which provides us with basically all the elements to become one of the main gateways for these green fuels in Europe.

Q3: The maritime industry is also undergoing a major trend of digital transition. What major challenges remain to be addressed in accelerating the industry’s digital transition?

A: The digital transition spans multiple dimensions. Digitalization is critical for enabling freer, faster information flows. The more information and data you have, the more accurate models you can use, and the application of big data and AI is opening entirely new possibilities for the industry.

One major challenge is data sharing, particularly when information is considered commercially sensitive. Regulatory frameworks also differ between regions, which remains a very big challenge. That said, we are seeing progress, as more stakeholders come to recognize the advantages and benefits of digitalization. In today’s environment, supply chain unpredictability and frequent disruptions are even considered to be normal. The ability to respond quickly to these events is emerging as a competitive edge. Having rapid access to information and the ability to act on it is therefore instrumental to a port’s success and efficiency — which is why digitalization is now receiving widespread attention across the industry.

Already several years ago we set up, for example, our digital twin. Initially frowned upon by some as a game or a toy, it has since proven its value in daily operations. It allows us to integrate several disciplines. We have, for example, a network of fully autonomous drones throughout the port, alongside sniffers we call “I-noses” that continuously test and sample port air quality. If pollution is detected at any location, a drone is automatically triggered and dispatched to the area to investigate the source. We can identify within the digital twin, for example, a passing ship with excessive inadmissible emissions, and trace the source of the issue. The system also supports emergency response during calamities such as fires, as well as port security patrols. More broadly, it plays an important role in daily operations, including berth space management and optimization — an area where the digital twin delivers particularly high value. It also enables advanced scenario simulation: we can model how an incident at a specific location would impact that area or the entire port system. Capabilities of this kind become possible now.

We also provide r route-planning tools for our clients. Planning cargo shipments from China to Europe is a highly complex task that relies on big data capabilities. I once tried it manually to find how many alternatives you have to ship a container from, let us say, Hangzhou to the south of Germany. I started counting and ended up with more than one thousand possibilities. When a company asks for a shipping cost quote, it is unfeasible to run over a thousand calculations manually to find the lowest-cost option. Today, digitalization makes this not only possible but highly efficient. The capabilities go even further– you can be reactive as well: if a disruption occurs mid-journey, the system supports dynamic rerouting, giving logistics professionals far greater flexibility to optimize routes and improve overall efficiency.

It is also encouraging to see how rapidly Chinese companies have embraced digitalization. Many of the companies I meet have digitized their operations, with highly impressive systems for operational monitoring and management. I believe this shift is driven by the evolution of China’s export model. In the past, Chinese manufacturers produced goods for third parties and did not engage deeply with end-to-end logistics. Today, more Chinese companies market products under their own brand names and distribute them directly to overseas markets. Many of these companies have now come to realize that logistics is not merely a cost. I have been making this point for years, and it is gratifying to see this idea gaining wider acceptance: logistics is an integral component of the product. A god product may feature strong technology, design and pricing, but if it cannot be delivered to clients in good condition, on time and at a right cost, it still cannot be considered a high-quality product. This understanding has driven widespread adoption of digital tools that can enhance transport efficiency and reliability, strengthening the overall product value delivered to the market. It is a very exciting evolution to witness, and it underscores that the importance of digitalization extends far deeper than is sometimes recognized.

Q: With all these trends that are re-shipping the maritime industry, what do you think are the key factors that define the competitiveness of ports in the future?

A: It circles a little bit around how you react to or predict crises. As I mentioned earlier, supply chain disruptions are basically normal, so it is important to respond faster than your competitors, and this requires a whole set of enabling tools, with digitalization being a crucial part.

One concern I have, however, is that the intense focus on resilience is diverting some attention away from decarbonization. That is a pity. But fortunately, we have initiatives like MPF where they quite resolutely steer us like “hey guys, don’t forget we are decarbonizing as well,” and then they are leading by setting examples and promoting consistent messaging. I see active cooperation between leading Chinese ports and partners not only in Europe, but also in Africa, with expertise and practices shared across regions. Again, decarbonization is a global challenge, not a local one. We cannot solve it on our own. The only path to meaningful progress is collaborative action.

Q: How would you assess the potential of cooperation between European and Chinese ports in areas such as green shipping corridors, digital transition?

A: I think there is enormous potential for cooperation between European and Chinese ports — and in fact, this cooperation is already well underway. It is not only the port of Antwerp-Bruges, the other leading European ports, especially the top three European ports, are working quite closely together with Chinese ports. The rationale is clear: a significant share of global trade flows between these major hub ports. If we aim to make a meaningful global impact, it is essential to start with these major trade routes. Encouragingly, stakeholders on both sides recognize their responsibilities and are actively working toward common goals.