Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 202.6 million tonnes of maritime goods in the first nine months of 2025, down 3.8 per cent year on year, with bulk cargo under pressure and container traffic stabilising, reports the American Journal of Transportation.

General cargo throughput rose 1.3 per cent, supported by containers, ro-ro and conventional freight. However, dry and liquid bulk fell 12.8 per cent, with container volumes easing from August due to the phase-out of overlapping shipping alliances.

Container throughput declined 2.4 per cent in the third quarter, though TEU volumes rose 1.6 per cent over nine months. The shift in alliance schedules reduced congestion and improved hinterland flows.

The port's market share in the Hamburg-Le Havre range fell 0.7 percentage points to 29.8 per cent, mainly due to terminal capacity constraints. The ECA project aims to address this, though strikes and low schedule reliability continue to affect operations.

Conventional general cargo remained flat, with steel imports recovering but exports to the US and Mexico under pressure. The European Commission introduced stricter anti-dumping rules for foreign steel.

Liquid bulk dropped 13.5 per cent, hit by weak petroleum exports to West Africa and continued softness in the European chemical sector. Biofuels and energy gases grew, while LNG volumes fell due to the EU ban on Russian gas transshipment, partly offset by US imports.

Dry bulk declined 8.9 per cent, driven by lower fertiliser shipments, though imports from Russia and Morocco rose ahead of new EU duties. RoRo traffic increased 3.3 per cent, led by car imports from China, now the top origin for new vehicles.

Trade with the US rose 15 per cent, led by containers and liquid bulk. However, US import tariffs have begun to impact exports, with steel shipments down more than one-third in the third quarter.

Imports from the US remained stable, supported by liquid bulk and a threefold rise in LNG volumes. Container imports rose 8 per cent, though growth slowed since August.

Port CEO Jacques Vandermeiren said congestion and limited terminal capacity explained the market share dip. He expects recovery once new capacity is added, and said the port remains resilient amid global volatility.