The Maritime Training Centre of Flanders and the Port of Antwerp (APEC) has expressed its interest in establishing cooperation with the ports of Kazakhstan. This was announced on June 12, 2019 during the meeting of Mrs. Aigul Kuspan, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium, with Mr. Tom Monbayo, Director of the International Department of Port, and Mr. Niko Sayce, Senior consultant.

Ambassador noted the important role of Kazakhstan as a transit-transport bridge connecting the West and the East. She has presented the seaports on the Caspian Sea – “Aktau" and “Kuryk", as well as elaborated on the Trans-Caspian international transport route connecting Western Europe and Western China through the Caspian Sea.

Mrs. Kuspan welcomed the activities of the Flemish company “Jan de Nul", which participated in the construction of the “Kuryk" port.

The Belgian representatives were also briefed about infrastructure development and transport networks within the framework of the Kazakhstan “Nurly Zhol" state program.

For their part, the Antwerp colleagues have told about the current state of port activities in Belgium. In particular, the port of Antwerp is among 20 largest ports in the world and is the 2nd largest in the European Union (after the Rotterdam port in the Netherlands). The corporation is currently implementing four infrastructure projects in ports such as Greenfield port (Brazil), Port of Cotonou (Benin), San Pedro Manutention (Cote d'Ivoire) and Port of Duqm (Oman).

The Antwerp port has created about 143.5 thousand jobs, employs 900 companies, the annual net profit accounts to 300 million euros, and the share in Belgium's GDP is 7%.

The port's training centre (AREC) operates in the port area, and its main task is to provide a transfer of knowledge through specialized courses and study tours both in Belgium and abroad.

Discussing common ground and prospects of mutually beneficial cooperation, the Belgian side expressed interest in organizing training courses for port officials in Kazakhstan. According to the interlocutors, the Marine Training Center of Flanders and the Port of Antwerp "APEC" has been operating since 1977 and conducts professional courses for port staff at all levels. It was also proposed to organize specialized courses at the Antwerp OCHA Training Centre for Kazakhstani dockers-machine operators.