The Belgian port handled 1.17mn TEUs of reefer containers in 2025, marking its highest volume ever
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has revealed that it closed 2025 with a record year for the reefer segment.
In total, the port handled 1.17mn TEUs of reefer containers, the highest volume ever recorded.
This represented an increase of 0.6 per cent when compared to 2024, primarily driven by a rise in import volumes, which increased by 13.5 per cent.
Export volumes of reefer containers remained largely stable at 0.9 per cent, the port noted, and represented 35 per cent of the total volume.
Transshipment decreased slightly (down 4.4 per cent), due to changes in shipping schedules by carriers.
In total, nearly one in ten containers arriving at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges was a fully operational reefer container, “underlining the importance of the cold chain to the port”.
Conventional refrigerated transport showed annual growth of 4.9 per cent.
While imports recorded a slight decline (down 0.7 per cent), exports of conventional refrigerated goods exhibit a significant increase of 52.5 per cent.
”This reflects both strong market demand and a well-developed logistics network,” the port outlined.
Approximately 90 per cent of reefer imports consisted of fresh products, including fruit, vegetables, and meat/fish.
The majority of these goods originated from Latin America. Panama recorded strong growth in 2025 (up 122.8 per cent), while imports from South Africa also increased significantly (up 36.2 per cent).
In terms of exports, the US remained the most important destination.
Exports of fruit and vegetables to Egypt rose sharply (up 206.7 per cent), while Morocco showed ”remarkable growth”, both as a country of origin and as a destination.
In contrast, Ecuador recorded a decline in import volume (down 21.8 per cent), and exports to Russia decreased by 25.4 per cent.
