United Biscuits (UB) this week announced that it will use inland waterway shipping to transport goods in Northern Europe.

Initially, up to 65% of the company's biscuit products bound for the US and Canadian markets will travel via this environmentally friendly transport mode from an inland container terminal at Willebroek to the Port of Antwerp.

UB cargo was loaded on to barges at Willebroek at the official launch of the inland waterway shipping initiative on Tuesday (4th October).

The waterways project follows a feasibility study carried out last year by the department of the Flemish Government responsible for all inland waterways in Flanders, which revealed a huge potential from an operational, financial and environmental perspective for this alternative mode of transport.

Following the positive results of the study, the government decided to invest in infrastructure to upgrade and modify the waterways and barges so they were capable of transporting reefer containers.