In the last nine months, the total throughput for the port of Antwerp-Bruges reached 217.4 million tonnes, a slight increase of 0.8 percent compared to the same period last year.
All cargo flows, with the exception of the container segment, are recording growth, said the port.
Conventional breakbulk grew by 9.7 percent. While steel outflows are holding up well, steel supply volumes are showing a downward trend as a result of high inventories and falling demand. Despite a declining trend in the throughput of wood and building materials, these product groups, like fruit, are still recording growth.
Ro-ro traffic saw an increase of 8.1 percent. Throughput of new cars increased 8.5 percent, mainly due to strong arrivals from China. Unaccompanied cargo (excluding containers) grew by 13 percent.
Container throughput is down 8.8 percent in terms of tonnes and 5 percent in teu, compared to the same period of last year. The decline, according to the port, is the result of the ongoing disruption of container logistics and the effects of the conflict in Ukraine. Containers are still not rotating sufficiently due to congestion, and this is resulting in the throughput of full containers falling, while that of empty containers is rising.
Jacques Vandermeiren, ceo of the port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “Despite the ongoing challenges due to the current geopolitical and macroeconomic context, we stand as a unified port. The negative trend in the container segment, rectified by growth in the other segments, is likely to continue towards the end of the year.”
