On 18 July 2023, Nieuwsblad Transport reported, that goods throughput in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges fell by 5.5% to 139 million tonnes in the first half of the year compared to 2022. Container throughput was 5.9% lower at 69.5 million tonnes. This represents a slight recovery, in the first quarter container traffic fell by 6.6%.
Comparison: In 2022, the volume of containers processed at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges amounted to 145.3 million metric tons and 13.5 million TEUs, see graphic below.
Background info: The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a result of a merger between the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Zeebrugge. In 2021, both ports decided to merge their ports to strengthen their position in the European and global shipping industry. The merger was finalized in 2022, creating the Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority that now manages the Antwerp-Bruges Port. It has become one of the most prominent container ports in Europe and the largest port in terms of vehicle throughput. In 2022, some 20.6 million metric tons of rolling stock were transported through the port (Source: statista.com).