Cargo output of Port of Antwerp-Bruges falls, but tariffs impact limited for now

Cargo output of Port of Antwerp-Bruges falls, but tariffs impact limited for now
This photograph taken on March 24, 2025, shows a Maersk container ship moored at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Antwerp. Credit: Belga / AFP

In the first quarter of 2025, goods throughput in the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge fell by 4% compared to the same period last year, according to Tuesday’s report from the port authority.

The impact of US import tariffs remains limited, the port added. The total throughput was 67.7 million tonnes, marking a 4% decline from the first quarter of 2024, mainly due to a significant drop in bulk traffic—goods transported in loose, unpackaged form.

Globally, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently rose from the fifteenth to the fourteenth-largest container port, maintaining growth in container traffic, which increased by 4.6% from early 2024, despite international restructuring in container alliances.

"With the United States being our second-largest trading partner, we are monitoring the coming months closely, as changes in the trading climate may become more apparent," the port stated. "The transition to new alliances, strikes, and congestion in other ports have extended container dwell times, thus increasing pressure on terminal capacity."

Liquid bulk, such as fuels, experienced a nearly 20% decline, impacted by the struggling European petrochemical sector, Russian gas sanctions, and changing market conditions in Africa, including increased Nigerian oil production and Belgium’s ban on high-sulfur and benzene fuels since September 2024.

Conversely, chemical transshipment rose by 10.9%, driven by a 128% surge in biofuels. Without this boost, the chemical segment would have seen a slight decrease, the port authority noted.

Aerial view of the Port of Antwerp. Credit: Belga / Dirk Waem

Meanwhile, conventional cargo like steel, wood, and fruit fell by 5.4%, and the transshipment of new cars dropped by 11.3%, although RoRo transshipment grew by 1.1%, with dry bulk remaining stable.

While some Belgian companies preemptively act in response to US import duties, the port authority observed no significant export acceleration to the US so far. Container exports to the US rose by 3.2%, and steel saw a temporary spike in January, while car exports fell by 20%, aligning with a general auto export decline.

"Disrupted shipping schedules, changing car market models, and temporary production suspensions are putting increased pressure on terminals," the port authority concluded. "Despite the limited immediate impact, new tariff developments will inevitably affect the logistics chain, and with the upcoming national strike on April 29, uncertainty remains high."

City of Antwerp’s port councillor Johan Klaps (N-VA) promises crucial progress in the coming months on the much-anticipated ECA (Extra Container Capacity Antwerp) project to bolster Antwerp’s global competitiveness.


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