The Port of Antwerp has enjoyed a strong first nine months of the year, it has been revealed this week, handling more than 132m tonnes of freight at a year-on-year increase of 13.2 per cent from 117m tonnes in 2009.
According to Antwerp Port Authority, the figures bring the port back to the same level as before the recent economic downturn, with end-of-year figures expected to hit a volume of 175m tonnes.
Container volumes in Antwerp for the nine-month period stood at 19.4 per cent in comparison with the same period last year, climbing from 64.6m tonnes to 77.1m tonnes.
Standard containers (20ft equivalent) passed the 6m TEU mark at 6.3m TEU, an increase of 16.9 per cent and a return to levels last seen in 2008, the port's record year.
Conventional/breakbulk freight experienced growth of 6.3 per cent for the first nine months of 2010, with 8.4m tonnes being loaded and unloaded, partially driven by 4 per cent growth in fruit products to 980,915 tonnes.
The number of seagoing ships calling at the port was up by 5.3 per cent to 11,015, while gross tonnage climbed 7.3 per cent to over 214m tonnes.
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