Genk (The Brussels Morning Newspaper):A ship carrying 35 containers arrived at Genk port for Pukkelpop replacing 20 truck trips enhancing environmental sustainability. The containers will feature decorations and be used at PKP DWNTWN in Hasselt tonight. This efficient transport method aims to reduce traffic congestion in Belgium.
A big ship with 35 containers arrived in Genk port for the Pukkelpop music festival. By using the ship they can avoid sending 20 trucks on the road which is great for the environment. The festival started shipping materials by ship in 2015. This year they’re bringing decorative containers for the dance area near the Booth. They’ll have stuff like a video wall with school collaborations and designer projections. Some containers will also be at PKP DWNTWN in Hasselt city center tonight.
How is Genk utilizing water transport for Pukkelpop?
The containers were first taken to Europort in Antwerp by truck. Then they were loaded onto a big ship at the dock in Antwerp the night before. They used the canal route from Antwerp to Genk which Heike Ulburghs the boss of Haven Genk says is a really good way to move things. The canal is cheap and fast for traveling between the two places making water transport better than using the road for this part of the journey. Once the containers get to Genk port through the canal they’ll be put on trucks for the last bit of the trip to the festival site. It has been said that this last part is quick and easy making it simple to reach the destination. By using both the canal and trucks they make sure the delivery process is smooth and efficient.
Haven Genk wants to show off how good it is to use the canal to move containers for big events like Pukkelpop. They hope this will make other companies consider using water transport too. This helps ease traffic on the roads by showing how efficient it is to move goods this way. Minister Lydia Peters talks about how traffic jams are a big problem in Belgium as seen in the Mobility Dashboards. She says using water transport can help solve this issue. By using water instead of roads for some shipments we can reduce traffic, making jams less common and not as bad. In early 2024 there were 3% more traffic jams than last year,” Peters said. “Traffic jams cost 5.5 billion euros yearly. We want companies to use waterways and railways more for transport to save money and reduce jams.
