North Sea Port and the Brazilian Port of Santos are joining forces with an ambitious ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ for a powerful, sustainable and innovative partnership. This strategic alliance marks an important step towards a green corridor between several fruit juice companies and Santos.
North Sea Port and Brazil have had extensive trade relations for several decades, particularly with regard to the import of orange juice and cellulose as raw materials for the production of paper, cardboard and tissues. Brazil is therefore North Sea Port's fifth largest trading partner.
One of the most pronounced ambitions is the development of a new green corridor between the two ports. Cas König, CEO of North Sea Port: ‘Together with governments, companies and chain partners, we are working on cleaner logistics flows, including the decarbonisation of the maritime sector in accordance with the international “Clydebank Declaration”. A current example of this is the collaboration with the “fruit juice companies” in the Belgian part of our port for the development of shore power for seagoing vessels, in particular Citrosuco Europe and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC - a leading global merchant and processor of agricultural goods).’
‘This will allow our seagoing vessels to shut down their engines at the quay in the Sifferdok in Ghent, reducing emissions and noise pollution,’ say Henrique Santana of Citrosuco Europe.
‘LDC welcomes the development of a green corridor between the Port of Santos and North Sea Port, aligned with our own commitment to help shape a low-carbon maritime sector and decarbonize the juice value chain, from origin to destination,’ said Baptiste Tanghe, LDC’s Ghent Plant Manager.
The necessary signatures were signed on Wednesday 17 December 2025.
The collaboration focuses also on the exchange of knowledge in the areas of:
By sharing knowledge, we are not only strengthening commercial freight flows between the two ports, but also making our infrastructures future-proof. The latter includes digital processes, smart environmental monitoring and adapting ports to extreme weather conditions.
This collaboration is fully in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Blue Economy Initiative: economic growth combined with the preservation of marine ecosystems and better opportunities for local communities.
The agreement is valid for a period of five years and forms a solid foundation for long-term international cooperation.
North Sea Port is fully committed to a climate-neutral port by 2050 through energy transition and the development of sustainable and efficient transport. North Sea Port is the 60 kilometer cross-border port area stretching from Vlissingen on the North Sea in the Netherlands through Terneuzen to Ghent, 32 kilometers inland in Belgium. As a centrally-located hub in Western Europe, the port specialises in multimodal transport (shipping, inland navigation, rail, truck and pipeline) and a wide range of goods. North Sea Port generates €12.7 billion in added value annually, placing it third among the ports in Europe. When it comes to cargo transshipment, it ranks ninth in the list of the biggest European ports with 66.3 million tonnes. The port area is home to 550 companies and creates direct and indirect employment for 106,000 people. www.northseaport.com.
The Port of Santos is Brazil's largest and most important seaport and one of Latin America's most strategic logistics hubs. Located on Brazil's south-east coast, in the state of São Paulo, the port is an essential gateway for the Brazilian economy to the global market. The port handles a wide range of goods, including agricultural bulk, containers, liquid bulk, vehicles and general cargo. Santos is a world leader in the export of soybeans, sugar, coffee and orange juice, among other products. Thanks to modern terminals, advanced infrastructure and efficient logistics connections by road, rail and inland waterways, the port serves an extensive hinterland. The port actively invests in energy transition, emission reduction, smart port technologies and strengthening its role within the sustainable maritime economy. www.portodesantos.com.
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