January 4 - Two key European heavy lift cargo gateways - Antwerp and Rotterdam - have reported positive results for overall activities in 2011.
Double-digit growth in break bulk traffic at the Port of Antwerp helped the port enjoy a modest overall rise in freight tonnage at the Belgian gateway.
Breakbulk cargo, including project cargo and heavy lift, saw 12.7 million tonnes of freight in 2011, an increase of 14.8 percent on the previous year. Overall the port saw an increase of 4.6 percent in traffic.
Antwerp's breakbulk activity is set against a background of a diminishing break bulk areas at the port over the years, says the port. These areas have been replaced by storage tanks, which has helped boost the port's liquid bulk traffic.
At Rotterdam, general cargo grew in 2011 by 13 percent to around eight million tonnes. This total includes project cargo. Import general cargo handled at Rotterdam between January and December 2011 totalled 5.4 million tonnes against 4.6 million tonnes in 2010, a rise of 17.3 percent. Export general cargo was more modest, with 2.35 million tonnes in 2011 against 2.27 million, up 3.5 percent.
