In Belgium, the Antwerp Port Authority has reported that the total amount of freight handled increased 3.5 per cent to 189m tonnes during 2008 at the Port of Antwerp, up from 183m tonnes the previous year – despite the fourth quarter showing the effects of the downturn in the global economy.
Container volume for the year-long period jumped 7.2 per cent to 101m tonnes, down on the anticipated total of 102m tonnes expected by the end of December.
In terms of twenty-foot equivalents, the Authority reported that volumes expanded by 6 per cent to hit 8.7m TEU. Volumes of fruit, fertilisers, flours and chemicals all experienced growth, while forest products, sugar and granite volumes decreased.
The number of seagoing ships calling at the port dropped 1.7 per cent to 16,046, with gross register tonnage up 2.6 per cent to 296m GRT.
