Automated Vertical Storage

From "all flat" to "vertical + automated"
why Zeebrugge marks a turning point for FVL

When land becomes critical, the market eventually shifts: verticalization and automation are no longer just "concepts," but industrial decisions. The project announced in Zeebrugge is a clear marker and a strong signal for Europe.

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1) Zeebrugge: A hub reaching the ceiling of "all flat"

  • Zeebrugge has been one of the major hubs for Finished Vehicle Logistics in Europe for decades. The terminals have grown, become denser, and continuously invested—but, like everywhere, horizontal expansion eventually reaches its limits: land availability, acceptability, development costs, and regulatory constraints.
  • The interesting signal is not just "another project": it is the moment when a major player publicly announces that it is adding capacity vertically and with automation at an FVL terminal, where human resources are increasingly difficult to mobilize in large volumes.

2) What is publicly known (and citable) about the ICO/NYK project in Zeebrugge

According to public communications, ICO (NYK Group) has announced the construction of a fully automated multi-level parking for finished vehicles in Zeebrugge, presented as a first in a European FVL terminal.

Announced scale: according to public sources,

  • ~10,000 additional spaces in a multi-level tower of about 40 m / 15 levels
  • Automation with an internal handling system, including 10 automatic cranes and racks
  • Surface area: the footprint is between 2.5 ha and 5 ha, representing significant densification
  • Targeted commissioning: second half of 2027

Announced goal: increase the terminal's annual processing capacity by +5,000,000 vehicles

3) Why this is a "turning point" for the market

FVL parks are entering a phase that intralogistics experienced earlier: when constraints tighten, "empirical" solutions are no longer sufficient, and operators invest in capacity breakthroughs.

This project illustrates three trends:

  • Land under pressure: ports, metropolises, hubs... horizontal expansion becomes slow, uncertain, and sometimes impossible
  • Operational requirements: more regularity, safety, traceability, and quality of service—with human resources increasingly difficult to mobilize in large volumes
  • Decarbonization & acceptability: reducing internal kilometers, limiting maneuvers, improving safety, and emissions becomes a stated objective

4) What Zeebrugge doesn't say (and what to keep in mind)

Verticalization/automation is not a universal "magic button":

  • a site always retains a need for non-standard zones and specific areas
  • the right answer depends on the mix (short transit vs. longer storage), flows, peaks, and local constraints
  • this is precisely what opens the door to multiple approaches to verticalization, depending on the target use

5) Hi Park's perspective: another path, designed for outdoor FVL

Hi Park is part of the same fundamental movement—adding capacity in the right place—with an approach designed from the outset for the constraints of outdoor FVL:

  • FVL-native: sized to cover a wide spectrum, from transit to longer storage (30–60 days, a historical practice in the industry)
  • Scalable: the level of automation is adjustable (capacity and resources that evolve over time)
  • Deployable on constrained sites: constant goal: densify without depending on exceptional land opportunities, where flat expansion is blocked

Conclusion:

Zeebrugge is a marker: the FVL market shifts when land becomes a bottleneck. The question is no longer "if" verticalization is coming, but where, for what uses, and with what operational model.