Antwerp box traffic up 15% in first six months

Antwerp box traffic up 15% in first six months    Container traffic at the port of Antwerp rose 15 percent in the first six months of the year to 3.1 million TEUs, leading the expansion of volume at the Belgian port.
   During the first half 34.6 million tons of containerized goods were handled, an increase of 15 percent. Total port volume, including general cargo, roll-on/roll-off shipments and bulk, amounted to 75.6 million tons, an increase of 7 percent.
   The port of Antwerp saw its conventional general cargo rise 5 percent to 8.8 million tons. The ro/ro traffic experienced a 14-percent increase in volume to 1.9 million tons. Dry and liquid bulk traffic remained virtually unchanged during the first half of this year at 17 million tons, a decrease of 0.7 percent.
   During the first six months of the year 7,732 ships called at the port of Antwerp, or 78 fewer than in the same period in 2003. The average gross tonnage per vessel increased 7 percent.