Container traffic stabilises but bulk cargo under pressure due to international uncertainty and volatile trade climate
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has revealed that it handled 202.6mn tonnes of goods in the first nine months of 2025, down 3.8 per cent on the previous year.
The throughput of general cargo, including containers, conventional general cargo and RoRo, increased by 1.3 per cent, while dry and liquid bulk together declined by 12.8 per cent.
Following a “solid” first half of the year, container volumes eased from August onwards, partly as a result of the phase-out of former shipping alliances.
Trade with the US continues to be affected by ongoing uncertainty surrounding US import tariffs, the port confirmed.
Container throughput declined 2.4 per cent in the third quarter year on year, while the first nine months overall saw “modest growth”, with tonnage rising 1.1 per cent and TEU up 1.6 per cent.
”This slowdown is linked to the normalisation of container shipping alliances, which brought an end to the temporary overlap between calls in old and new alliances,” the port authority explained.
”This led to a clear reduction in congestion, with quicker turnarounds and smoother traffic to the hinterland.”
Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ market share in the Hamburg–Le Havre range dropped 0.7 percentage points to 29.8 per cent in the first half of 2025, largely because of lack of terminal capacity.
The results for the first three quarters of 2025 present a “balanced yet challenging picture”, the port noted.
”The slight decline in our market share is largely explained by congestion in the first half of the year,” said Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
“Volumes were sufficient, but available terminal capacity was inadequate.
”Rearrangements within shipping alliances also had a temporary impact on the distribution of traffic between ports,” he explained.
”We anticipate that our market share will recover as soon as additional capacity becomes available.
”The quarterly figures also highlight the resilience of Port of Antwerp-Bruges in a particularly volatile economic climate,” Vandermeiren added.
