NL EN Home Terminal Activities About PSA Zeebrugge CSR PSA Zeebrugge@work Contact Please download the flashplayer SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Subscribe Unsubscribe Enter your e-mail address above. You are here: Home > CSR > PSA – Long Term Partner of the NEW BELGICA PSA – Long Term Partner of the NEW BELGICA Since May 2012, PSA has become a partner of the NEW BELGICA project for a period of 5 years. Various reasons have made us decide upon a partnership with NEW BELGICA. The objectives for a long-term commitment stayed the same: local roots, social awareness and involvement of our employees. The NEW BELGICA PROJECT builds bridges to all kinds of social themes and domains. On an annual basis, PSA provides a minimum budget of 20,000 Euros for the NEW BELGICA project. We also connect our logo with that of the NEW BELGICA: on the website, in brochures and other communication. PHOTOS Click on an image to enlarge it THE BELGICA - HISTORY In 1897, the young Belgian “Adrien de Gerlache”, bought a Norwegian ship called ‘Patria’. He changed the name into ‘BELGICA’ and aimed to be the first man to set foot on Antarctica; the unknown continent. De Gerlache wanted to scientifically explore Antarctica during the winter. Monday, August 16 - 1897. The port of Antwerp is filled with people. The National Anthem is being played, canon shots of joy are heard across the River. The BELGICA leaves the harbour, going south, setting sail to Antarctica. Besides a lost whaler, there has never been a soul nearby… After three months of darkness, -40°C, storms, despair, desertion, mutiny, starvation, disease and death, the BELGICA returns to Antwerp on the 5th of November 1899. The crew is received in triumph. Even before they disembark, De Gerlache and his officers are knighted by The Order of King Leopold. The BELGICA expedition returns with an enormous amount of valuable scientific information. THE NEW BELGICA - TODAY Polar ice couldn’t break the BELGICA. But war could. The ship sunk in 1940 nearby the coast of Harstad (Norway), in mysterious circumstances. 50 Years later, in 1990, a Norwegian diving club discovered the wreck, only 22 meters deep and 200 meters off the coastline. It was immediately clear that the remains of the BELGICA could not be restored. But they did contain enough valuable information for the ship to be rebuilt. Non-profit organization “De Steenschuit” is now rebuilding the original BELGICA. The NEW BELGICA will be an exact replica with the interiors and equipment that meets today’s standards. The University of Ghent has taken the initiative to design architectural plans, based on photographs, sketches and drawings of the original BELGICA wreck. The NEW BELGICA will be built with durable materials and eco-friendly construction methods. The rebuilding will take five years to complete, and will be realized by 500 unemployed citizen, who will be trained to do so. With the rebuilding of the NEW BELGICA, unemployed people will be reintegrated through orientation, training, coaching and internships. In addition to education- and employment opportunities, this project also reaches other social domains. The NEW BELGICA project connects with various fields such as culture, tourism, education and diplomacy. THE NEW BELGICA PROJECT IS: Social: unemployed jobseekers are building the NEW BELGICA together Ecological: the NEW BELGICA is created with renewable materials and green energy Historical: the NEW BELGICA ship celebrates the journey of Adrien de Gerlache and the discovery of Antarctica in 1897. PSA IS ON BOARD! PSA became partner of the NEW BELGICA project for a period of five years (2012 – 2016). With our support, materials will be purchased and recruitment and training can be organized. During this partnership, PSA supports the NEW BELGICA project not only financially. PSA and its employees, as a team, follow the building of the ship with great interest. Moreover, our employees will be actively involved and will get the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the building process through several initiatives! ACTIONS FOR THIS PAGE Print this page © 2016 PSA Zeebrugge. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use. Sitemap.