MAC²
About us
Centrally located in the 4th Harbourdock of Antwerp, MAC² has built a reputation over the past years that extends beyond its quays. MAC² is not just a port reception facility, it is a partner that thinks proactively, invests, and understands that inland barging requires more than just a berth.
With 1,500 meters of quay and six berths for vessels up to 200 meters in length, the terminal is ready for every ship, every cargo, and every situation. Day and night, seven days a week. For services such as tank cleaning, disposal of slops and wash water, ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck transshipments, degassing, and nitrogen purging.
Tank cleaning is probably the most visible activity at the terminal. But anyone who thinks this is routine work is mistaken. MAC² accept the most challenging cleaning assignments, from a quick butterwash cleaning for a product changeover to a thorough manual cleaning in preparation for, among other things, shipyard visits. From switching from “black” to “clean” products to removing stubborn and sticky residues such as sediment, rust, and sludge. The teams work quickly and thoroughly, with short notice period as a key asset in a sector where time is literally money.
Even so important, but slightly less visible, are the disposal and processing of slops. What tank barges retain after discharge and/or a cleaning cycle must go somewhere. MAC² possesses its own wastewater treatment facility capable of handling a wide spectrum of waste streams, such as chemicals, mineral oils, acids and bases, oily slops, solvents, etc.
Nothing simply disappears. Everything is received, treated, processed, and where possible recycled in accordance with increasingly stringent environmental requirements and regulations. This is not a marketing promise, it is the daily reality at the terminal.
MAC² is also leading in the field of degassing and nitrogen purging. European regulations rightly impose increasingly strict restrictions on degassing via open-air ventilation. In this regard, MAC² collaborates with the company AQ on a range of environmentally friendly alternatives, from cryogenic degassing, where evaporated cargo can be recovered, to gas scrubbing and flaring. Technology that not only complies with today’s regulations but also anticipates those of tomorrow.
Behind all these services lies a broader vision. MAC² is part of Group Machiels, a Belgian group that uses sustainability not as a slogan, but as a compass.
CLOSING THE CIRCLE: Oil is recycled, water flows purified back into the port, and waste is given a second life instead of ending up in the environment.
For inland barging operators, MAC² is therefore more than just a stop between voyages. It is a reliable partner in a sector that requires certainty. A terminal that is always accessible, always proactive, and always ready. Day and night, in rain and sunshine, as it should be in the Port of Antwerp.