Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 67.7 million tonnes of cargo in the first quarter of 2025, a drop of 4 per cent compared to the same period last year. This decline was largely driven by a sharp decrease in bulk volumes, while container throughput recorded growth.

The port continues to navigate global challenges such as shifting market dynamics, geopolitical tensions and the ongoing pressure on the European chemicals sector. With the United States as its second-largest trading partner, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is closely watching the evolving trade environment, as future tariff impacts become more pronounced.

Container throughput served as a key growth engine in the first quarter, rising 4.6% in tonnage and 4.5% in TEUs compared to the same period in 2024, despite geopolitical uncertainties and container alliance restructuring. The transition to the new alliances and strikes and congestion at other ports did, however, result in longer container dwell times and therefore put increased pressure on terminal capacity. Port of Antwerp-Bruges' market share in the Hamburg-Le Havre Range increased to 30.5% in 2024, and on a global level, the port climbed from 15th to 14th place in the ranking of the largest container ports.

Liquid bulk saw the steepest decline (-19.1%), with sharp declines in gasoline, naphtha and LNG. Contributing factors included changed market conditions in Africa, reduced naphtha demand from the petrochemicals industry and EU sanctions on Russian LNG transshipment. The throughput of chemicalsincreased by 10.9%, mainly thanks to a significant increase in biofuels (+128%) Without that boost, the chemical segment would have seen a slight year-on-year drop (-1.7%). Europe’s chemical industry remains under considerable pressure in terms of global competitiveness.

In other segments, the impact of challenging market conditions remained limited. For example, conventional general cargo experienced a modest decline (-5.4%) due to lower iron and steel throughput (-14.3%) as a result of the weak economic climate and import quotas. RoRo throughput rose slightly (+1.1%), even with a sharp decline in new car throughput (-11.3%), which is a reflection of the difficult situation in the European automotive industry. The decline in vehicle throughput was offset by increases in other RoRo cargoes such as unaccompanied freight. Dry bulk remained almost stable (-0.8%).

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges: "We are in particularly uncertain times, which makes it difficult to predict what 2025 will bring next. But as in previous crises, our port is showing resilience and operational reliability. That stability is critical, both for our customers and for the broader economy. At the same time, the protectionist measures taken by the United States make it clear that Europe needs to make a stronger commitment to robust economic policies in order to strengthen our industry and anchor its strategic position.”

Johan Klaps, Antwerp Port Alderman and President of the Board of Directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges: "The strong container traffic underlines the importance of continued investment in our port infrastructure. Projects such as ECA (Extra Container Capacity Antwerp) are essential to take steps towards sustainable growth, ensuring the efficient use of space and enhanced competitiveness. Important steps in those areas will be taken in the coming months. I would also like to thank all port employees for their commitment and flexibility in the past few months, including during the recent strike. Without a doubt, our first-rate workforce is among the best in the world."

Dirk De fauw, Mayor of Bruges and Vice-President of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges Board of Directors added: "These quarterly figures emphasise how valuable the complementarity between Antwerp and Zeebrugge actually is. The combination of scale and specialisation is proving itself time and again, especially in a turbulent international environment. Thanks to close cooperation and joint investments in infrastructure and innovation, we are continuing to build a strong, integrated port for all of Flanders. In the very near future, one of the things we are looking forward to is seeing the Oosterweel tunnel elements travelling from Zeebrugge to Antwerp."