Port of Antwerp handles 187 million tonnes
of freight in 2011 (definitive figures)

All-time records for containers and liquid bulk

Antwerp, 18 January 2012 – The port of Antwerp handled 187,151,714 tonnes of freight last year. This represents an increase of 5% compared with 2010, when the volume was 178.2 million tonnes. These definitive figures exceed the provisional estimates made at the end of December: the records announced before the turn of the year have turned out to be even higher.

Never before has a larger container volume (both in TEU and in tonnage) been handled in Antwerp in the space of one year than in 2011. Expressed in terms of tonnage, the container volume was up by 2.5%, to 105,109,107 tonnes. In TEU the increase was 2.3%, to 8,664,243 TEU, a shade higher than the record level of 2008 (8,663,736 TEU). Ro/ro freight for its part also expanded, rising by 14% to 4,244,410 tonnes. Conventional/breakbulk for its part was up by 14.1%, to 12,695,805 tonnes. The increase is mainly due to the large rise in the volume of steel products (up 28.8%), the mainstay of this segment. The volume of fruit rose by 2.9%, although paper and cellulose were down by 24.5%.

The volume of bulk freight is trending up once more, having risen by 7.1% compared with last year.

The increase is mainly attributable to the large expansion in liquid bulk. 2011 was in fact an alltime record year for liquid bulk, which was up by 12.2% to 46,016,132 tonnes. The volumes of oil derivatives and chemicals expanded too, by 19.6% and 3.1% respectively, while the amount of crude oil handled was down by 3.5%. Dry bulk for its part did less well than last year, falling by 3.5% to 19,086,260 tonnes. Growth figures were produced by coal (up 4.4%), cement (2.8%) and sand and gravel (8.8%). On the other hand declines were noted in ore (down 13.6%), grain (7%), fertilisers (5.1%) and scrap metal (17.3%).

The number of seagoing ships calling at the port also rose last year: in 2011 there were 15,240 calls, an increase of 3.1%. The gross tonnage likewise rose, by 9%, reaching 316,428,860 GT. The number of barge calls finished the year at 59,428, an increase of 4% compared with 2010. The volume of barge freight handled in 2011 was 87,133,204 tonnes.

The number of jobs done by dock workers ended at 1,574,864 in 2011, an increase of 3.5% in comparison with 2010

Antwerp Port Authority, press release