Rob Smeets is COO at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. He joined the executive committee in August 2017. Rob Smeets previously served as manager of the towage company within the Port of Antwerp Authority. Rob Smeets is responsible for all operational services. His Operations department consists of three subdivisions: Nautical (Nautical Operations), Assets (Asset management, including bridges, locks, quay walls) and Port Projects (major renovation or new construction projects port infrastructure). A smooth, safe, expeditious, customer-friendly and cost-efficient course of the nautical activities and traffic flows in the port are central.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges is the second largest port in Europe, with more than 300 liner services to more than 800 destinations, thereby ensuring worldwide connectivity. Every year, we handle around 290 million tonnes of international maritime cargo and we are home to Europe's largest integrated chemical cluster. The port employs, directly and indirectly, a total of around 164,000 people and generates added value of more than €21 billion. As such, it is an important lifeline for the Belgian economy. International connections and sustainable growth play an important role in reinforcing our role as a world port.