THE Port of Antwerp posted a 1.1 per cent year-on-year increase in
container movement countered by a 1.8 decline in overall cargo weight,
estimated at 183.8 million tonnes of cargo in 2012.
A statement from port authorities said, "These figures show that Antwerp has been only mildly affected by the recession in the shipping industry and in the general economy. The figures were also influenced this year by the temporary shutdown of Belgian Refining Corporation (BRC), which depressed the growth figures for liquid bulk."
The Belgian port's container volume hovered around the same level as in 2011, at 8,629,992 TEU. Expressed in tonnes this represents a drop of 1.1 per cent, to 103,965,023 tonnes.
Ro/ro volume was up 13.6 per cent to 4,819,539 tonnes. The number of cars handled in 2012 came to 1,233,159, up 14.1 per cent. Bulk freight volume, on the other hand, fell 1.3 per cent to 64,233,461 tonnes, after the volume of liquid bulk contracted 1.7 per cent to 45,224,048 tonnes following the temporary closure of the BRC refinery. The volume of dry bulk is expected to come to 19,009,413 tonnes, the same as in 2011.
The volume of conventional breakbulk handled at the port fell 14.9 per cent last year to 10,804,408 tonnes compared to 2011. This decrease was attributed to lower volumes of steel, "which in turn reflects current market conditions". But port authorities say Antwerp has won back "various steel customers from other ports (Rautaruukki and Stemcor), while new ones were acquired (Brown McFarlane, Mechel, Erdemir etc.)."
The number of seagoing ships calling at Antwerp was down by 4.2 per cent compared with 2011, to 14,593, while the number of ultra-large container ships of more than 10,000 TEU rose from 141 in 2011 to 165 in 2012 in the wake of the deepening of the river Scheldt.
A statement from port authorities said, "These figures show that Antwerp has been only mildly affected by the recession in the shipping industry and in the general economy. The figures were also influenced this year by the temporary shutdown of Belgian Refining Corporation (BRC), which depressed the growth figures for liquid bulk."
The Belgian port's container volume hovered around the same level as in 2011, at 8,629,992 TEU. Expressed in tonnes this represents a drop of 1.1 per cent, to 103,965,023 tonnes.
Ro/ro volume was up 13.6 per cent to 4,819,539 tonnes. The number of cars handled in 2012 came to 1,233,159, up 14.1 per cent. Bulk freight volume, on the other hand, fell 1.3 per cent to 64,233,461 tonnes, after the volume of liquid bulk contracted 1.7 per cent to 45,224,048 tonnes following the temporary closure of the BRC refinery. The volume of dry bulk is expected to come to 19,009,413 tonnes, the same as in 2011.
The volume of conventional breakbulk handled at the port fell 14.9 per cent last year to 10,804,408 tonnes compared to 2011. This decrease was attributed to lower volumes of steel, "which in turn reflects current market conditions". But port authorities say Antwerp has won back "various steel customers from other ports (Rautaruukki and Stemcor), while new ones were acquired (Brown McFarlane, Mechel, Erdemir etc.)."
The number of seagoing ships calling at Antwerp was down by 4.2 per cent compared with 2011, to 14,593, while the number of ultra-large container ships of more than 10,000 TEU rose from 141 in 2011 to 165 in 2012 in the wake of the deepening of the river Scheldt.