North Sea Port turns into hub for electric cars
More electric cars and components for them will be handled at North Sea Port in the coming years. This has been made possible by Volvo Group that launched a new production line at its factory in Ghent. By 2025, the Sweden-based manufacturer intends to increase the share of all-electric vehicles up to 50 per cent of its worldwide sales.
Volvo Group has strengthened its presence in North Sea Port. Last week, the carmaker started production of a second all-electric model, Volvo C40 Recharge, at its factory in Ghent, which is also located within the port area. Starting from 2022, more than half of the production capacity in Ghent will be suitable for manufacturing all-electric cars. By 2025, they will account for half of Volvo’s global sales.
For North Sea Port, this means that more and more new cars and components will be handled at the terminals. “The automotive sector is an important pillar for North Sea Port. With 6,500 employees, Volvo Car Gent is the biggest industrial employer in East Flanders. The plant generates significant flows of components and finished products. It also provides many indirect jobs with suppliers and logistics service providers,” the port authority stated.
Focus on electrification
In October 2020, Volvo Group launched the production of its all-electric car, for the XC40 Recharge P8 model, at the factory in Ghent. This marked a significant milestone for both North Sea Port and the car manufacturer. The electric cars, which are produced in Belgium, are delivered to the customers in Europe. Last year, almost 195,000 cars, a third of all Volvo cars sold worldwide, were produced at Volvo’s facility in Ghent.