Total cargo throughput at the Belgian port complex of Antwerp-Bruges, one of Europe’s largest, increased 3% on the year to 143.2 million mt in the first half of 2024, the port authority said July 18.
In a half-year report, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges said the gain was driven by more liquid bulk, dry bulk and container volumes, offsetting lower ro-ro and breakbulk throughput.
“Despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions, a still fragile economic climate and farmers’ protests, we are continuing with positive figures once more, showing even stronger growth in the first quarter,” said Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO at the port authority.
“Alongside container throughput, [some] other product groups are also experiencing a positive trend.”
Liquid bulk volume inched up 0.7% to 46.1 million mt, supported by higher gasoline and fuel oil volumes even as diesel fell, the port data showed.
Throughout of naphtha and chemicals also increased in January-June due to recovering demand.
Total dry bulk volumes increased by 0.4% to 7.6 million mt, supported by a 34.8% rise in the throughput of fertilizers, the authority said.
While throughput of iron and steel rose by 0.6%, coal, grains, sand and gravel, and scrap dropped, according to the authority.
Meanwhile, container throughput rose 6.8% to 74.2 million mt in the six months, equivalent to a gain of 4.1% to 6.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units, the authority said.
“In the first quarter, container throughput recovered following a global slowdown due to economic uncertainty and inflation,” the authority said in the report. “This growth continued in the second quarter.”
However, ro-ro volumes dropped 5.7% to 10.3 million mt amid persistent terminal congestion, according to the authority. Breakbulk volumes fell 6.2% to 5 million mt.