Drones create air bridge between Antwerp city centre and port
Transport company A Drone Logistics Company (ADLC) has launched a cargo drone hub linking the Port of Antwerp-Bruges with Antwerp city centre. The hub, presented on Monday near Park Spoor Noord, is designed to improve logistics between the port and businesses in the north of the city.
Drones have long been a familiar sight over the Scheldt River. In recent years, ADLC has built up a commercial network in the port, transporting petrochemical analysis samples for major clients such as BASF. Three drones are currently in daily use for these operations.
“The potential is enormous"
The new hub, located near Cadix Hospital, will primarily serve companies in the northern part of Antwerp, particularly maritime service providers such as Wilhelmsen and Kayak.
These firms frequently need to deliver documents to large ships in the port—a process that can be handled far more efficiently by air. “The shipping sector is failing to digitise certain processes,” said Alexander Jordaens of ADLC. “For example, when a ship arrives from Africa, the correct paperwork must be brought on board by courier before the cargo can be unloaded. We will simply send a drone to the terminal, carrying all the necessary documents for signing.”
According to Jordaens, drone logistics offers clear advantages in terms of speed, safety and sustainability. “The potential is enormous,” he said. “We hope to now truly break through from the Eilandje, outside the port area, into the city and the business districts. This drone hub, strategically located near the city centre, ushers in a new era of low-emission logistics.”
Expansion plans and challenges
ADLC is working in partnership with the Swiss company SGS, which analyses more than 60,000 chemical samples each year for companies in the port. The Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) has granted ADLC permission to conduct BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights over distances of up to 12 kilometres within the port. During these flights, operators no longer maintain visual contact with the drone, and payloads can weigh up to 15 kilograms.
The company raised 2M in capital last year and plans a new funding round by the end of this year, aiming to secure a significantly larger amount. It has also expanded internationally, opening an office in Singapore with support from the Prince Albert Fund, and maintaining a presence in Canada.
Further opportunities are being explored in Argentina, France, Cyprus and Oman, where Belgium has a strong presence in the port of Duqm. In theory, drones operating in these countries could be controlled remotely from Antwerp.
However, ADLC sees the complex and fragmented regulatory landscape for drones as the main obstacle to expansion. The company is not yet profitable, as it remains in a scale-up phase, though management is unconcerned. “There are few competitors worldwide,” they said. “We transport dangerous goods in an industrial environment. Few can match that.”
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS VAN BOXEL
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