Port of Antwerp-Bruges saw total throughput of 210.5mn tonnes in the January-September period, a yearly increase of 3 per cent
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges saw total throughput of 210.5mn tonnes during the first nine months of 2024, an increase of 3 per cent year-on-year.
The port authority said that demand for container transport “remains strong”, while ongoing geopolitical and economic instability had impacted other cargo types.
”Despite these challenges, the port continues to invest in sustainable and innovative projects to support energy transition and industrial growth,” it stated.
Container throughput increased by 8.9 per cent in tonnes, with imports increasing by 10.2 per cent and exports by 7.9 per cent.
The growth seen in the first half of the year continued in the third quarter, with 12.3 per cent more containers handled (TEUs) than last year.
Over the first nine months, total container throughput in TEUs increased by 6.8 per cent to 10.15mn TEUs.
In the first half of the year, Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ market share in container handling in the Hamburg–Le Havre Range grew by 0.8 percentage points compared with 2023, to 30.7 per cent.
Nearly one in ten of the containers handled was a reefer container, with the number of full reefers increased by 9.7 per cent over the January-September period.
Despite ongoing geopolitical and economic challenges, the port’s growth was “stabilising”, it said, with the figures ”underscoring its resilience”.
“Despite the complex times in which we operate, with geopolitical tensions, rising energy prices and global competition, we are stabilising our growth, thanks in part to our strong position in container handling,” explained Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
”Sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, cyberattacks and other challenges are forcing us to remain flexible and resilient.
”Along with our partners, we are continuing to build a future-proof port where innovation supports both sustainability and economic growth,” he added.
