Border Control Posts
Enter Europe smoothly, safely and efficiently
Veterinary products arriving at North Sea Port from all over the world can be transported onwards into Western Europe in a smooth, safe and efficient manner. North Sea Port facilitates an optimal service for the import of these products from outside the European Union. To this end, there are several Border Control Posts which operate in our port area, as well as two inspection centres (as satellites of the Border Control Posts).
As an end user, the various Border Control posts are close to you in the port area on both the Dutch and Belgian sides of the border. Moreover, various services and controls are housed together under one roof at the Border Control Post in Ghent. In this way, we guarantee the efficient and smooth handling of goods, making North Sea Port a one-stop hub.
In addition, as a multimodal deep-sea port, North Sea Port provides the ideal operating base for onward inland transport – for example via container transhipment – thanks to our extensive network of hinterland connections.
Locations and permits
On the Dutch side, the inspections for veterinary products take place at Kloosterboer in Vlissingen. The Inspection Centres (IC) at Katoen Natie and SEA-Tank Terminal in Ghent are designated for checks on the Belgian side. In the course of 2021, North Sea Port will open a new Border Control Post for veterinary products.
See below for a detailed list of all the locations.
Vlissingen
On the Dutch side, the inspections for veterinary products take place at Kloosterboer in Vlissingen, under the auspices of the NVWA. This facility deals with packaged goods for human consumption and frozen packaged goods for non-human consumption.
| Location | Kloosterboer (Vlissingen) |
| Accreditation | HC(2) and NHC(FR)(2) |
| Products | Packaged goods for human consumption and frozen packaged goods for non-human consumption. |
Ghent
In the course of 2021, North Sea Port will open a new Border Control Post for veterinary products, in collaboration with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) and customs. They will be able to check goods, examine samples in the laboratory and deal with administrative matters all under one roof.
For inland navigation, North Sea Port in Ghent can be nominated as the first port, even if the cargo arrives in the port of Antwerp first. All checks (customs/FAVV) on goods that enter in Antwerp from a third country can be moved to Ghent after the goods have been transferred to Ghent by short sea shipping or inland navigation.
| Location | North Sea Port (Ghent) |
| Accreditation | NCH-T(2), HC-T (2) |
| Products | Packaged goods for human and non-human consumption, frozen as well as chilled. |
Ghent inspection centres
SEA-Tank Terminal
At SEA-Tank Terminal there is an Inspection Centre (IC) for inspections of liquid oils, fats and fish oils in bulk.
| Location | SEA-Tank Terminal (Ghent) |
| Accreditation | NHC/HC-NT(4) |
| Products | Liquid oils, fats and fish oils in bulk. |
Katoen Natie
Katoen Natie has an IC where checks are carried out on imported packaged pet food.
| Location | Katoen Natie (Ghent) |
| Accreditation | NHC-NT(2)(1) |
| Products | Packaged pet food |
Contact authorities
For more information, please contact the competent authorities.