In Belgium, the port of Antwerp announced that it was provisionally forecast to handle a total of 198.8m tonnes of freight by the end of 2014, an increase of 4.2 per cent when compared with 2013 and a new record for the port.
The previous record dates from 2013, when freight volume came to 190.8m tonnes.
Last year's record growth was driven by container handling (up 5.6 per cent) and liquid bulk (up 5.4 per cent), the port reported, while, there were contracting volumes of labour-intensive breakbulk and dry bulk.
The container trade showed 'impressive growth', according to the port, both in tonnes and in number of boxes.
The number of standard containers (twenty-foot equivalent units) rose by 4.5 per cent to 8.96 TEUs, meaning that Antwerp is expected to pass the 9m TEU mark this year.
In terms of tonnage, the growth was described as more than respectable, up 5.6 per cent to 108.1m tonnes.
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