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Belgium Freight Transport Report Q3 2011
Business Monitor International, June 2011, Pages: 46
Business Monitor International's Belgium Freight Transport Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, freight transportation associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Belgium's freight transportation iThe forecast real growth for total trade in 2011 is 2.7% with export real growth predicted to be 2.8% and import real growth of 2.6% expected. This would represent a continuation of the recovery made in 2010 but at a slightly slower pace from last year's bounce back from recession.
Belgium's freight industry as a whole should have a relatively good year in 2011 with slower growth but a steady and sustained recovery. Maritime growth at Belgium's ports is expected to sharply fall back from the strong recovery bounce of 2010. Air freight is expected to see stronger growth in 2011 than for 2010. Rail and rail freight are expected to have a small positive growth in 2011 after a strong recovery surge in 2010.
A period of potential political instability began in Belgium after the collapse of the five-party coalition government in April 2010 and a year later no new government has been formed. The parliamentary elections on June 13 2010 saw the separatist New Flemish Alliance emerge as the largest single group from the vote, although the French and Flemish Socialists together had more seats overall. Belgium's fractured political landscape means coalition negotiations are often a complex and lengthy process. There are pressing economic problems but there is no government with a mandate to deal with them.
Headline Industry Data
- 2011 air freight tonnage is expected to grow +6.9%, following projected growth of +6% in 2010.
- 2011 rail freight is forecast to grow +1.6%, following a projected growth of +31.2% in 2010.
- 2011 Port of Antwerp throughput is forecast at +3.5%, following a projected growth of 12.8% in 2010.
- 2011 total real trade growth is forecast at +2.7%. Key Industry Trends
Logistic Provider Expands Dachser, the logistic provider, opened a new branch in Luxembourg in early February that increases its network in the Benelux countries.
State-Owned Railway Separates SNCB Logistics separated itself from state-owned rail operator Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belge (SNCB) on February 1, 2011 and became independent, following a restructuring plan approved by the EC. The separation is partly to make the operator profitable and is partly intended to rule out any cross subsidisation between freight activities and the rest of the SNCB business.
European Commission Launches Antitrust Investigation The European Commission announced in mid-February that it had launched a formal antitrust investigations into the free-flow codeshare agreements of four airlines including the agreement between Brussels Airlines and TAP Portugal on the Brussels-Lisbon route.
PAI Signs MoU The trend of major European ports offering their expertise to ports in emerging states continued with the Port of Antwerp International (PAI), signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazil's Companhia Docas do Espirito Santo (CODESA), the port of Vitória authority in April 2011. PAI also signed a MoU with Indian port developer Essar Ports in February. Shanghai International Port's joint venture with Belgium container terminal Zeebrugge begun operations in early March, following a delay during an industry downturn.
CMB Sells Subsidiary Belgium-based shipping group CMB in early February agreed to sell its subsidiary, Hessenatie Logistics, to Groep H Essers for an undisclosed sum.
Pilot Phase Of AIS Hopes To Improve Safety The Antwerp Port Authority launched the pilot phase of the Inland Automatic Identification System (AIS) for barges within the port area in March. The AIS automatically transmits information concerning the name, position, speed and direction of travel of a barge which will benefit safety within the port and allow more efficient vessel traffic management.
Key Risks To Outlook
There are downside risks to our freight transport forecasts for Belgium. The most significant of these is that the negotiations to form a new coalition government have dragged on for a year which has paralysed the necessary fiscal and economic policy decisions. A new weak coalition government might also shy away from the necessary policy changes. This would almost certainly lower the country's growth prospects, with consequential knock-on effects for freight demand. There is also some risk of prolonged and active labour unrest disrupting airports, seaports and the rail network from unrest due to the economic climate. ndustry.
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