THE Port of Antwerp (POA) has expanded its port infrastructure to meet surging cargo volumes from China destined for European countries.

The promotion manager of the Antwerp Port Authority, Jean-Pierre Verschueren, told a press conference in Guangzhou, China recently that cargo volume between Port of Antwerp and the mainland have increased rapidly in recent years.

He pointed out that the volume of Chinese cargo handled by the Port of Antwerp doubled from 2.7 million tons in 2001 to 5.76 million tons in 2005.

To further boost the growth of China-Belgium trade, the Antwerp Port Authority is to increase investments to upgrade port facilities, and Mr Verschueren said the authority will attend more logistics exhibitions and forums to promote its port services.

In terms of cargo volume, China is currently the eighth largest trading partner of the Port of Antwerp, which is the fourth largest port in the world handling a record 160 million tons of cargo, including 6.48 million TEU in 2005.