Port of Antwerp sees continued cargo growth

The Belgian port recorded year-over-year tonnage increases in the container, breakbulk, liquid bulk and dry bulk sectors for the first half of 2017. The Port of Antwerp handled 111.39 million metric tons of freight during the first six months of 2017, up 2.8 percent from the corresponding 2016 period, with tonnage increasing in the container, breakbulk, liquid bulk and dry bulk sectors, according to the latest figures released by the port. In terms of container freight, the Belgian port handled 61.29 million metric tons during the first six months of 2017, up 2.5 percent year-over-year. Ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting’s Port Dashboard tool shows the port is called by 73 services connecting it to regions outside of Belgium that deploy fully cellular containerships. The largest containerships calling the port operates on the 2M Alliance’s AE2/Swan loop between Asia, the Mediterranean and North Europe. The loop deploys 11 vessels averaging 18,746 TEUs, with the largest ships on the loop over 19,000 TEUs. In addition to the container services, the port is called by 18 services deploying pure car/truck carriers or roll-on/roll off (ro-ro) vessels, 13 deploying multi-purpose vessels, two deploying open hatch vessels, two deploying con-ro vessels, and one deploying reefer vessels. In terms of ro-ro freight, the port handled 2.56 million metric tons during the first half of 2017, up 9.2 percent from the first half of 2016. Conventional breakbulk tonnage reached 5.3 metric tons for the first half of 2017, up 13 percent year-over-year. The port also handled 36.04 million metric tons of liquid bulk, a 1.8 percent increase from the first half of 2016, with crude oil and chemicals increasing, despite oil derivatives slightly declining. Dry bulk volumes for the first half of 2017 also rose 1.1 percent year-over-year, thanks to increases in oil and fertilizer, despite declines in kaolin and gravel.