The Port of Zeebrugge Demonstrates Its Strength Once Again on the European Marine Logistics Stage . In recent months, the Zeebrugge terminal has welcomed two gigantic container ships, setting new draft records and confirming the port’s role as one of the most important deep-sea hubs in Europe.

MSC Mina and the 16.40 m Record

In April 2025, the port of Zeebrugge hosted the MSC Mina, which reached an impressive draft of 16.40 meters. The ship, approximately 400 meters long and 61 meters wide, carried over 23,600 TEU. This was a record draft in the port’s history, surpassing the previous record by 10 centimeters.

The MSC Mina is part of the new LION service, connecting Far East ports with Zeebrugge and Antwerp. The success of its arrival was made possible through precise collaboration between pilots, terminal operators, and port authorities, ensuring complete safety during the maneuver.

MSC San Francisco – Another Record

Later that same year, in November 2025, Zeebrugge set another record. This time, the MSC San Francisco docked with a draft of 16.80 meters. The ship, with a capacity of around 16,200 TEU, a length of 366 meters, and a width of 51 meters, demonstrated that the port can accommodate truly massive vessels in regular shipping services.

According to port authorities, this record is the result of years of investment in infrastructure, safety systems, and collaboration with shipping line operators.

What This Means for the Port of Zeebrugge

Strengthened deep-sea port position – Zeebrugge can accommodate the world’s largest container ships, attracting international shipping lines.

Greater regional competitiveness – The port becomes attractive to companies requiring direct connections from Asia and America.

Operational efficiency and stability – Regular handling of giant vessels proves the high competence of personnel and the reliability of infrastructure.

Experts emphasize that Zeebrugge’s success results from coordinated efforts among pilots, terminal operators, and port authorities, all working together to ensure the safety and smooth handling of mega-ships.

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Looking to the Future

New records also bring challenges. The port will need to continue investing in dredging access channels, modernizing navigation systems, and ensuring safety. At the same time, increased traffic from giant container ships will create greater demand for inland transport and hinterland logistics.

Port authorities also highlight the importance of sustainable development – increasing the efficiency of cargo handling and ship operations must go hand in hand with minimizing environmental impact.

About: The Port of Zeebrugge

Zeebrugge, the seaport of Bruges, is both a major roll-on/roll-off port, where nearly 40 million tons of goods are transshipped annually, as well as a container port.I t is an important access to the European market as it offers both intra-European and intercontinental services .Handling 2.8 million car units on an annual basis, the coastal port is one of the main car-handling ports in the world. The port is also developing as a food cluster: being a non-industrial or “clean” port, Zeebrugge is the ideal location  for combining perishable food cargoes..

Zeebrugge is therefore more than just a maritime crossroads; the North Sea port has grown into an ultramodern logistics platform completely at the service of the European and intercontinental markets. The extensive range of ferry services and intercontinental container services, together with an inland waterway, railway and road network, make Zeebrugge an ideal location to establish  distribution centres .In 2016, the port of Zeebrugge exported 19,5 million tons and imported 17 million tons.

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