In the first half of 2024, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled a total of 143.2 million tonnes, up 3% year-on-year. Growth was seen across various cargo categories, despite geopolitical tensions and an unstable macroeconomic environment. The port continues to invest in its future resilience.
Container volumes recovered in the first quarter following the global slowdown caused by economic uncertainty and inflation, and continued to grow in the second quarter. Total container volumes increased by 6.8% in tonnes and by 4.1% in TEU (6,665,000 TEU) compared to the first half of 2023.
Traditional general cargo volumes also showed positive developments. While overall volumes for the first six months of the year were 6.2% lower than in the same period last year, driven by a 12.6% decline in imports and a 4.5% increase in exports, Q2 saw an increase compared to Q1.
Iron and steel volumes remained stable (+0.6%) over the past six months, with exports up 7.4% and imports down 3.7%. Roll-on/roll-off traffic was down 5.7% in H1 2024, but improved compared to the end of the previous quarter. Weaker demand and export delays due to the Cape of Good Hope roundabout contributed to a 13.2% decline in all vehicles.
The dry bulk segment remained stable, with a marginal increase of 0.4%. Imports were down 6%, while exports were up 10.9%. Significant growth was noted in the fertilizer segment (+34.8%), as well as in the transportation of ore and construction materials. Transportation of coal (-40%), grain (-9.5%), sand and gravel (-8.3%) and scrap metal (-5.9%) decreased.