About

We Are

PortExpertise is an independent business consultancy for maritime and port professionals.

Partners with more than 20 years of experience in maritime/port issues.
Network of niche international experts with focus on financing, legal matters, market research/ audits, insurance, claims, ict, customs, training, and market communication.
Research assignments and project management for more than 300 port and terminal projects worldwide.
Agents in Europe, Middle-East and Asia.
Active in Worldbank and EU projects worldwide, advising on EU logistics projects, and assist the big five consultancy firms in port related projects.

Our approach

We combine traditional project methodology with in-depth knowledge of port and terminals related projects.

We provide tailor-made solutions on very diverse topics, always having maritime ports as an important link.
We give relevant and no nonsense answers on questions on strategic up to operational matters, from financial issues over commercial to safety and security related concerns.
We always exceed our clients’ expectations providing full, transparent and realistic reporting and recommendations setting achievable targets, a clear feasibility plan, a detailed business plan and down to earth implementation plan.
We support you with a single person of contact, offer a customized approach and a aim for a strong, long term partnership.

Some key team members

Peter Bresseleers

Peter Bresseleers, M.Sc., CSCP in business economics and finance and founder of PortExpertise, has a long proven track record of +25 years in maritime trade related projects. The projects included international projects both for public organisations and private companies. Due to the proven track record he held positions in senior management and managing director positions during the last ten years. This expertise is renowned by international organizations such as the European Commission related to transport and maritime projects. He is a frequent lecturer for the Antwerp Port Training Centre for international professionals, and is invited to international congresses and seminars related to port investments. Currently he is on a global scale involved in maritime and port related projects.

Lieve Clijmans

Lieve Clijmans, M.A. Political and Social Sciences, has more than 20 year of experience inmarketing and corporate communication with industrial companies such as Cargill and ExxonMobil. Focus is on experience in internal and external communication, change management, consulting on today’s cross media use of paid, owned and earned media with focus on digital communication.

Edwin Lock

Edwin Lock, M. Sc. Maritime economics, has been involved in maritime projects in many countries worldwide. He has a broad experience in reviewing port and terminal design concepts, assessing technical and operational port issues, surveying the port sector in specific geographies, setting up waterways master plans for specific countries, and evaluating EU proposals in the framework of MarcoPolo and Ten-T. Recent work concerns an investment analysis in Eastern Europe for a of Europe’s largest private terminal operators and a study for dry ports and logistics centers in Jordan.

Gilbert Bentein

Gilbert Bentein, civil engineer, is PortExpertise’s sr. process-IT consultant and transport expert. He has a thorough understanding of the processes currently used in the maritime port environment and industry. He is co-founder of the PCSP, the port of Antwerp’s services platform, and for the single window concept and implementation of port services platform for all Flanders’ seaports, including vessel traffic management monitoring applications. Recent work dealt with the setup of a European single window for some 15 European countries.

Guido Van Meel

Guido Van Meel, master economics and master environmental sciences, is a key expert, consultant and trainer in many international projects on port expansion/privatization projects in countries such as Israel, Saudi-Arabia, Indonisia, Croatia, Montenegro and Nigeria. He also has managed projects on use of alternative fuels in maritime and hinterland shipping, such as LNG. He is secretary-general of Euroshore, association of ship waste management companies and follows actively the international regulation setting on clean maritime shipping. He is a certified evaluator of EU-proposals in the framework of Marco Polo and Ten-T.

Gustav Malmquist

Gustav Malmquist, senior consultant, uses his e-health experience in assessing environmental issues, transport and infrastructure solutions. He has been coordinator and writer of Ten-T proposal topics such as increased cargo capacity for the port of Mälmaren, BioFuel Region, Swiftly Green, GreCOR, BGLC. He is a certified evaluator of European proposals in FP6, FP7, CIP and Marco Polo. He has been reporter on the consequences of the surphur directive (IMO MARPOL Mid Nordic Green Transport Corridor).

Stefaan Hugo

Stefaan Hugo, specialist in rail transport matters, has a more than 25 years career with the Belgian NMBS railway company in several functions as terminal manager of several dry port container terminals in Malines, Antwerp and Charleroi, as audit and certification manager, as claims manager and quality manager. He gathered quite some know-how on ISO-standards, SQAS, ECM, AEO and ISPS.

Stefan Clinck

Stefan Clinck, master in law, gathered a more than 25 years expertise in logistic chain, liabilities and risk management as claims marine manager and manager cargo insurance and marine liabilities at Belgian law firms and insurance brokers. He advised a variety of clients on liability and insurance issues.

Ralf Bauer

Ralf’s expertise concerns the financial markets. Started in the nineties as trader, he soon took the position of Director Financial Markets at a global bank company. The last five years Mr. Bauer specialized in the financing of large infrastructure projects for alternative energy industry. Ralf advises PortExpertise on bridging the gap between the financial markets and ports and maritime projects, regarding alternative financing. This lead, among others to a thorough study of the CEF and European Investment bank policy on Financial Instruments for transport infrastructure, and the ‘INTERIM REPORT ON THE PILOT PHASE OF THE EUROPE 2020 PROJECT BOND INITIATIVE’.

Michael van Giel

PortExpertise’s customs specialist. Former regional director of customs and excise authorities in Europe’s second largest port, he perfectly understands the alignment of international customs rules and port activities, assuring that safety and security rules are met and trade barriers are kept to a minimum. As renowned specialist he actively trains custom authorities officials from all over the world, whether at home base of the Antwerp Port Training Facility (APEC), or abroad within the offices of the client. A main focus on ‘developing’ port areas is given, namely the African region and Eastern Europe.

Mircea Chirita

Our Romanian partner has 30 years in the management and operational area of consultancy, acting within industrial, shipping and offshore environment (‘Oil & Gas’), searching for a result oriented management approach, for providing specific consultancy uniquely blended with management tools (software).

Coen Walder

Our hands on terminal experience, has over 35 years of experience in pre-planning and execution of maritime and terminal operations directly related to safe handling, stowing and securing of break-bulk and dry bulk commodities worldwide. Starting as a deck-officer on board break bulk and dry bulk vessels for a period of 4 years, he worked afterwards for Antwerp based stevedoring and agency companies. After supervising a bagging operation in North Korea, he joine the technical/commercial management of a German multi-national in shipping, terminals and logistics. Through the years his experience became more fine-tuned in working in the world’s most challenging places, related to the start-up of new terminals and port projects (India, Iraq, Dubai, Kuwait), and supervising the international supply chain to these regions for W-European clients. Recently he assisted African terminals in ITC projects and process optimization.

Our continuous call for experts

PortExpertise is a knowledge and service company purpose-built for the port and terminals sector. Our twofold approach of knowledge and project management makes us an attractive strategic partner for companies seeking to get port services to clients in a complex operating and regulatory environment.

PortExpertise is not another body shop that wants to sell your expertise and keep you out of scope. The aim of PortExpertise is to always select the best partners in creating the appropriate alliances for every project in order to deliver relevant knowledge and efficient service for ports and terminals businesses. We talk partnership, involvement, and teamwork: you can bring your knowledge to PortExpertise , you may work on a project which is bigger than what you alone can do, you see opportunities with your clients which we can tackle together. That’s the PortExpertise spirit.

How to freelance your expertise

Top specialists contribute to our success. We always have interesting opportunities for freelancers in various fields and technologies related to our sector.

How to work via PortExpertise

We can spot business opportunities. Or you can come to us with project concepts which you want to develop further with our experience. When there is a fit with your expertise, you will be contacted to have a first understanding of the related ambitions and expectations. If needed, we will schedule an interview.

How to show interest

We are always looking for experienced professionals in different fields of the marine business. You can contact us on our contact page.

PortExpertise