In transport, Flanders is home to the Port of Antwerp, the second largest port in the Hamburg-Le Havre range and Europe's leading chemical cluster. There are three other ports including Ghent, Ostend and Zeebrugge. All connect with Europe's extensive inland waterway network and one of the world's highest density rail networks.

Brussels International Airport is ranked Europe's fifth for freight operations, while Ostend airport on the coast provides facilities for outsized and special cargoes. Ports and airports are all close to the region's freeway system, which links directly with those of France, Germany, the Netherlands and, across the Channel, the UK.

Brussels - Europe's fifth-ranked cargo airport

Consistently ranked in Europe's Top Five for freight, Brussels International Airport at Zaventem is some 10 miles (16 km) from the city and provides cargo and passenger services to a range of European and international destinations.

Ideally located
Europe's largest freeway interchange is less than one kilometer from Brucargo. Antwerp, one of Europe's largest seaports, can be reached by truck in 30 minutes and several road feeder services connect Brucargo to major European cities and industrial areas as well as to other leading European airports. Brucargo is also close to international railway-connections with several freight stations within a radius of five kilometers.

Regular full-cargo services
A number of other full-cargo operators are based at the airport, which is particularly strong in Southeast Asia and Middle East traffic. Operators include Saudia, which has made Brussels its European hub, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Asiana and Cathay Pacific, with Hydro Air, for example, working the South African route.

Ostend - specialized cargo services
Ostend Airport on the Flanders coast is mainly specialized in outsized cargo, perishables and livestock. It offers a minimum turn-around time and guarantees quality service 24 hours a day without slots or congestion.

Four leading ports
The world's highest concentration of major seaports...
Antwerp, Ghent, Zeebrugge and Ostend, the four ports in Flanders, are all within 62 miles (100 km) of each other and are leading players in international and intra-European cargo handling. Antwerp is consistently ranked among the world's top five ports. The quality and cost-effectiveness of all four Flemish ports have been factors in their growth over recent years. Antwerp and Zeebrugge, for example, offer some of the most competitive container handling costs of any of northern Europe's major ports.

Cargo links with Europe and the world...
All four ports are connected directly into the region's transport infrastructure - road, rail, waterway and air - providing rapid and efficient links within Europe and beyond. There is immediate access, for example, to one of Europe's leading waterway networks. This offers direct cargo transport to and from inland industrial zones and cities in other countries. Studies on overall inland accessibility have ranked the ports highly while the rail container terminal at Antwerp makes the port Europe's leading rail-maritime facility.

Inland navigation is the transport mode for the future. You come to that conclusion when you have a look at the trump cards of waterways.

Rapid Access Throughout Europe
Road transport forms a vital element of many business operations and Flanders ensures that its network meets business needs. A planned and efficient road and freeway infrastructure enables businesses to make the most of the region's central location within the European market:

• Belgium's transport infrastructure features one of the highest density road networks in the world;
• The country's road congestion index is not as high as that of many neighboring countries;
• Flemish freeways are precisely that - there are no tolls;
• The freeway system in Flanders connects directly with those of France, The Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg, as well as by ferry or Channel Tunnel with the UK;
• Logistics operations are able to move goods from Flanders to most major European markets by road within 24 hours;
• Multi-modal solutions involving inland waterways, rail and road are available.
  

Distance no object
Companies in Flanders enjoy rapid and efficient transport to and from markets and suppliers in other parts of Europe. For example, Amsterdam is just 155 miles (248 km) away, London 200 (320), Paris 210 (336) and Frankfurt 215 (344). In Flanders the ports, rail depots and airports are well sited for quick access to freeways, while industry and technology zones have been located with accessibility in mind.

Modern System Offering a Range of Solutions
The Belgian railway freight system (B-Cargo) is modern and highly developed, offering businesses a wide range of tailor-made solutions for goods moving between both national and European destinations. With 2,210 miles (3,536 km) of track, the country's rail infrastructure is among the highest-density networks in the world. In addition to carrying more than 200 million passengers in 2007, the railways also handled some 57,7 million tons of freight.