Port of Antwerp posts increase in tonnage

Container volumes through the Port of Antwerp rose 4 percent year-over-year during the first nine months of 2016 to 7.6 million TEUs.    Container volumes at the Port of Antwerp ticked up 4 percent through the first three quarters of 2016 to 7.6 million TEUs compared to the same period in 2015, according to the port authority.
   Overall, freight tonnage moving through the port during the first three quarters of the year rose 3.3 percent from the same period last year to 161.7 million metric tons. Strong sectors included steel (up 15.3 percent to 5.8 million metric tons) and liquid bulk (up 6.7 percent to 53.1 million metric tons).
   Automobile volumes fell 2 percent year-over-year to 894,475 units. Also in negative territory for the nine months was dry bulk, which fell 11.6 percent to 9.3 million metric tons versus 2015. Declines were most prominent for iron ore (down 16.9 percent to 1.5 million metric tons), fertilizers (down 3.7 percent to 2.6 million metric tons), and sand and gravel (down 20.1 percent to 1 million metric tons).
   The Antwerp Port Authority reported that the number of seagoing ships grew 1 percent, with the number of calls totaling 10,894. The gross tonnage of vessels serving the port rose 11.3 percent to 301.6 million gross tons, demonstrating the trend towards larger vessels.