The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced an increase in container throughput of 8.6 per cent in tonnes and 6 per cent in TEU (3.29 million) in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.
After economic uncertainty and inflation led to a global slowdown in demand for container shipping in 2023, container throughput picked up again from February, with March even witnessing the best monthly throughput since March 2021.
The total cargo throughput in Q1 2024 of Port of Antwerp-Bruges also amounted to 70.4 million tonnes, reflecting a Year-on-Year (YoY) rise of 2.4 per cent.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ market share in container handling in the Hamburg – Le Havre Range grew by 0.3 percentage points in 2023, to 29.9 per cent.
Throughput volumes of conventional general cargo also showed an upward trend again. Although throughput decreased by 7.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, it grew by 6.9 per cent compared to the last quarter of 2023.
Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) traffic decreased by 6.9 per cent in Q1 of 2024. The ongoing congestion at RoRo terminals resulted in a decrease in throughput of all transport equipment by 9 per cent.
Additionally, in Q1 2024, 4,855 sea-going vessels called at the port, a decrease of 1.8 per cent. The gross tonnage of these vessels also fell by 2.4 per cent.
Earlier this month, A.P. Moller – Maersk’s (Maersk) first major methanol-powered deep-sea vessel, the ‘Ane Maersk,’ arrived at the MSC PSA European Terminal in Antwerp.
More recently, the first concessionaires signed contracts for NextGen Demo, the innovation hub located in the heart of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.