The Port of Antwerp has converted this into a maritime environment, making it the first port in the world to operate through the logistics chain under the norm of European GDP regulations, the company said in its statement.

Belgium is a significant center for the healthcare & life sciences industry, and several multinationals have offices here. 1 in 6 medical devices exported from Europe originated in Belgium and half of those medicinal products are manufactured here.

GDP is a quality assurance device, ensuring that during the delivery process, the product quality of Life Sciences & Healthcare goods such as medications, blood plasma, vaccines and medical equipment is guaranteed. And while this industry is mainly related to air freight, there is a growing demand for reefer container shipping.

The Port of Antwerp can play an important role in this regard, with 63,000 m2 of warehouses that comply with the GDP guidelines, 8,000 reefer container plugs and worldwide connectivity with more than 1000 destinations. For this purpose, the Port of Antwerp has established GDP guidelines for deep sea freight and port logistics for temperature-sensitive goods. This means that the port is the world's first seaport that can function under the laws of European GDP.

Maritime Business World