The Port 2 Port Security Platform replaces fragmented local procedures with a national framework for inspections, access control and real-time monitoring across the country’s entire port network.
The move comes amid escalating pressure from organised crime groups. Belgian ports have become key gateways for cocaine and other illicit cargo, prompting authorities to build a system that closes operational gaps exploited by criminal infiltration, cyber intrusions and weak container-release procedures. The platform forms part of the national “Iceberg Strategy,” which combines enforcement with structural prevention and resilience measures.
A revised Maritime Security Act supports the new platform. It enables biometric identification, AI-supported surveillance and security checks for high-risk roles, as well as the ability to impose and follow port bans via the AIGIS platform. Importantly, inland terminals with an impact on maritime supply chains can now be made subject to minimum security requirements traditionally applied only at seaports.
Uniform identity checks and stronger perimeter protection
For transport operators, the most visible change will be the shift towards standardised identity and access procedures. Systems such as Alfapass, Port Pass and ItsMe® are being introduced across terminals, while ports expand the use of intrusion sensors, thermal cameras and smart fencing. Inland facilities like Limburg are already operating full-coverage detection linked to real-time alerts.
Monitoring is being consolidated into shared control rooms. A Central Control Room in Zeebrugge aggregates hundreds of camera feeds from public and private actors, while Antwerp operates a permanent drone network for inspections and rapid response. AI-equipped cameras automatically flag unauthorised movements and incident-related anomalies, and customs’ mobile scanners allow targeted checks without moving containers to inspection posts.
Identity-based container release becomes the standard
Container pickup is also being tightened. Antwerp-Bruges’ Certified Pick-Up system has become the model for identity-linked, fully digital container release, replacing PIN codes and paper procedures. More than one million containers have already been collected this way, and inland ports are rolling out similar identity-based authorisation chains to reduce fraud.
Hauliers and logistics firms should expect more uniform identity verification and coordinated inspections, along with broader use of digital container-release systems. Authorities argue that national harmonisation will reduce loopholes created by uneven enforcement, though operators may need to adapt to tighter, more technology-driven security rules across Belgium’s port system.
