Port of Antwerp

Antwerp Port Authority has reported on a strong nine month result for the Belgian port, with a total of 142 tonnes of freight handled, a year-on-year increase of 7.5 per cent on the same period of 2010.

While the first half of the year proved positive for the Port of Antwerp, the third quarter saw a slowdown in growth, the Authority noted.

Container volumes at the port grew 2.7 per cent on January-September 2010, from 77.1m tonnes to 79.2m tonnes, with standard container volumes up to 6.5m TEU, growth of 3.1 per cent.

Results for conventional/breakbulk freight were mixed, the port noted, although there was growth in fruit volumes, up 2.8 per cent to 1m tonnes.

The number of seagoing ships calling at the port increased by 5.6 per cent through the nine-month period, while gross tonnage climbed 11.3 per cent to just under 239m tonnes.