PORT of Antwerp, Europe's second biggest port, has posted a first quarter 0.7 per cent increase in container volume to a record 2.2 million TEU year on year compared to a four per cent decline at the rival Port of Rotterdam.

Further expectations of container growth at Antwerp in the second quarter were buoyed by the launch of two additional Far East container services.

But overall cargo tonnage declined 2.2 per cent to 46.3 million tonnes, outpaced by Rotterdam's three per cent growth at 110 million tonnes and 2.78 million TEU, a fact that kept the Dutch port No 1 in Europe. The number of vessel calls at Antwerp was down three per cent to 3,629.FAXTEXT = The spike in container volume was stark contrast to the fall in breakbulk which was down 13.6 per cent to 2.53 million tonnes. Steel product shipments were down 20.3 per cent to 1.55 million tonnes and liquid bulk declined 13.5 per cent to 10.3 million tonnes.FAXTEXT = But coal shipments were up to 1.73 million tonnes, a 34.5 per cent increase and grain as up by 18.7 per cent.

Roll-on/roll-off shipments totalled 1.3 million tonnes.