Antwerp signs deals with Chongqing
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Port of Antwerp Authority has signed two agreements with organizations in the inland Chinese metropolis of Chongqing as part of a Belgian trade mission to China.
The port’s training subsidiary has signed a five-year deal with the Chongqing International Freight Forwarders Association to train Chinese maritime professionals.
The subsidiary, called APEC, has organized seminars for around 600 maritime professionals from 65 countries around the world. Since 1980 it has trained 2,800 Chinese specialists, many of whom now occupy senior positions in their companies, the port authority said.
APEC has an existing collaboration agreement with Dalian Maritime University, and in 2010 cemented deals with the Ministry of Transport, Dalian Port Corp, Guangzhou Port Authority and the Shanghai International Shipping Institute.
Meanwhile, the Antwerp Port Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chongqing Port & Navigation Administration Bureau. The agreement calls on the two parties to regularly exchange information, develop joint marketing and promotion activities, and attract investment to each other’s port and city. The two cities have been linked since May by a rail freight service run by the intermodal operator Hupac.