Port of Antwerp announces 2014 freight volumes

Belgian port reports record growth thanks to container and liquid bulk sectors.    The Port of Antwerp said in a statement it handled a total of 199,012,082 tons of freight cargo in 2014, 4.3 percent more than in 2013.
   Record-setting growth at the port was driven primarily by a 5.9 percent increase in container volumes, finishing at 108,314,246 tons for 2014, and a 5.6 percent increase in liquid bulk, 62,833,647 tons. 
   Petroleum products grew 6.8 percent to 46,068,093 tons, crude oil increased 6.5 percent to 4,984,606 tons and chemicals were up 1.5 at 11,375,122 tons.
   These categories were offset partially by decreases in roll on-roll off cargo, down 2 percent to 4,470,346 tons, conventional breakbulk, down 2 percent to 9,884,522 tons, and dry bulk, down 6.1 percent to 13,506,321 tons. Coal volumes in particular were down sharply at the port in 2014, decreasing 34.9 percent to 1,417,900 tons.
   A total of 14,009 vessels called at Port of Antwerp in 2014, 1.5 percent fewer than in 2013.
   Despite the number of vessels falling, overall gross tonnage increased by 1.7 percent to 335,275,551 GT. This is thanks in large part to an increase in the number of ultra-large container ships (10,000 TEUs or more) calling at the port. 266 UCLSs called at the port in 2014, 68 more than in 2013.