Antwerp-Bruges revises port tariffs for 2027

Port of Antwerp-Bruges will increase several port tariffs by 3.97% from 1 January 2027, introducing revised charges across its Antwerp and Bruges-Zeebrugge operations. The changes also include separate adjustments to towage, vessel dues, environmental discounts, and services used by shipping lines, cargo operators, and businesses holding concessions within the port estate.

The general increase is based on Belgium’s consumer price index for August 2026 and follows a 1.91% adjustment applied in 2026. Different charging arrangements apply to individual services, so the percentage increase in the general tariff structure will not necessarily match the change in every invoice issued to a port user.

Towage within Antwerp’s docks will increase by 3.57%, while the corresponding charge for the Zeebrugge platform will rise by 2.65% under contractual arrangements with Boluda. These rates apply separately from the general indexation and form part of the costs incurred by vessels requiring assistance during movements within the port areas.

Shipping lines operating services that call consecutively at Antwerp and Zeebrugge will benefit from an increased discount on tonnage dues. The reduction will rise from 10% to 20%, extending a previously established programme of changes to charges for vessels using both locations.

The discount recognises a particular operating pattern within the combined port. A vessel making eligible calls at both areas will receive a different tonnage-dues treatment from one calling at only a single location, with the financial effect determined by the applicable vessel characteristics and the rules governing each charge.

Environmental incentives are also being aligned across Antwerp and Zeebrugge. Under the revised Environmental Ship Index arrangements, vessels scoring between 45 and 70 will qualify for a 10% reduction, while those with scores above 70 will receive a 15% discount.

The port will remove the existing construction-year restriction applied to the environmental incentive in Antwerp and the minimum discount arrangement previously used in Zeebrugge. A single set of thresholds will consequently determine eligibility for the revised ESI reductions across the two port areas.

The Environmental Ship Index assesses aspects of vessel environmental performance, including emissions characteristics, and enables ports to distinguish ships qualifying for incentives. A revised index calculation methodology is also due to take effect on 1 January 2027, making the updated score relevant to the charging arrangements introduced at the same time.

Other vessel-related reductions will be harmonised. Eligible calls made solely for a ship’s own bunkering, repairs, dry-docking, crew changes, or specified empty-handed and degassing operations will receive a 50% reduction. Bunker vessels will qualify for a 75% discount, while transit calls will be charged €0.4941 per gross tonnage unit.

Container vessels using Bruges-Zeebrugge will face a higher maximum gross tonnage for calculating certain dues. The ceiling rises from 175,000 to 200,000 GT, continuing the phased removal of the previous cap. The 2026 tariff framework already established that the actual gross tonnage would become chargeable in 2028.

Increasing the chargeable ceiling changes the calculation for vessels whose registered gross tonnage exceeds the previous maximum. The result depends on the vessel’s gross tonnage and the relevant tariff rate, rather than representing an identical cost increase for every container ship calling at the port.

Automotive vessel charges will also continue their transition towards a revised gross-tonnage basis. From January 2027, liner services will be charged €0.1307 per GT, while non-liner services will pay €0.2883 per GT under the published arrangements.

At Antwerp, berthing dues for vehicles will be aligned with Zeebrugge, reaching €0.1830 per tonne. The alignment forms part of the wider harmonisation of charging methods between the two locations, both of which handle automotive and other vehicle-related maritime cargo.

Operational provisions at Bruges-Zeebrugge will change alongside the vessel tariffs. The permitted duration of stay for vessels will increase from 14 to 20 days, while use of the roll-on/roll-off bridge at quay 113 will attract a charge of €150 per hour. The latter is a specific equipment-use charge, distinct from vessel tonnage dues.

Waste charges will follow a revised structure in both port areas. Antwerp will apply a fixed charge of €400 per vessel and a variable charge of €0.027 per GT, subject to a maximum of €1,750. At Bruges- Zeebrugge, the corresponding charges will be €150 per vessel and €0.011 per GT, with a maximum of €900.

These charges combine a vessel-based amount with a calculation linked to gross tonnage. The maximum fee limits the charge resulting from that structure, while the different fixed and variable amounts reflect the separate tariff arrangements applied at the two locations.

Additional costs will apply to refrigerated containers at the left-bank border inspection post. From January, the monitoring system will carry a charge of €9 per reefer container per calendar day. Out-of- hours repair interventions will cost €1,000 for up to three hours, followed by €250 for each additional hour or part thereof.

Refrigerated cargo may require electricity, temperature monitoring, and equipment intervention while containers remain within an inspection or storage facility. The new monitoring charge introduces a cost related directly to the number of containers and their length of stay, while repair charges depend on the work required outside normal operating hours.

Concession charges will generally follow the 3.97% indexation, except where individual agreements specify another mechanism. A new annual tariff of €25.99 per square metre will also apply to battery energy storage system activities on concession land, establishing a dedicated charging category for this type of infrastructure.

The port has separately identified changes to cruise vessel charges beginning in January 2028, including environmental charges and shore power arrangements. Those measures have a different implementation date from the principal commercial port adjustments taking effect at the start of 2027.

The revised framework will change the charges applicable to different vessels, cargoes, and operations according to their individual characteristics. Shipping lines, terminal operators, and concession holders will therefore need to apply the relevant rates and discount conditions when preparing their 2027 operating costs and commercial arrangements.