Slowdown in container traffic and declining congestion

After a solid first half-year, container throughput declined 2.4% in the third quarter year on year. The first nine months saw modest growth, with tonnage rising 1.1% and TEU up 1.6%.
This slowdown is linked to the normalisation of container shipping alliances, which brought an end to the temporary overlap between calls in old and new alliances. This led to a clear reduction in congestion, with quicker turnarounds and smoother traffic to the hinterland.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ market share in the Hamburg–Le Havre range dropped 0.7 percentage points to 29.8% in the first half of 2025, largely because of lack of terminal capacity. The bottleneck will be tackled through the ECA project (Extra Container Capacity Antwerp). Low container shipping schedule reliability and a series of strikes however continue to affect operational reliability.

Mixed trends in other segments

Conventional general cargo trade remained status quo after nine months, thanks to a recovery in steel imports, although exports remained under pressure from weaker shipments to a.o. the US and Mexico. Meanwhile, the European Commission unveiled stricter rules to curb foreign steel dumping. Liquid bulk declined 13.5%, hit by weaker petroleum derivatives exports to West Africa and persistent weakness in the European chemical sector. Volumes of biofuels and energy gases continued their growth. The decline in LNG traffic, resulting from the European ban on the transshipment of Russian gas, was partially offset by higher imports from the US. Recent announcements in the European chemicals industry underline the continued pressure on the sector.

Dry bulk (-8.9%) was primarily impacted by weaker fertiliser shipments, partly offset by increased imports from Russia and Morocco, the former ahead of the introduction of new EU duties. The RoRo segment grew by 3.3%, supported by rising imports of new cars from China – despite European import duties introduced at the end of 2024 – as well as higher volumes of trucks and used vehicles. China has now become the leading country of origin for new car imports.

Increasing impact of American trade measures

Shipments to and from the US –Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ second-largest trading partner – grew by 15% in the first nine months of 2025. This growth was primarily driven by containers and liquid bulk. However, since the summer, the impact of US import tariffs has become apparent: exports fell in the third quarter, particularly for steel, which declined by more than a third compared to the second quarter.

Imports remained stable for the time being, supported by a sharp increase in liquid bulk and a threefold rise in LNG volumes. This reinforces Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ role as a gateway for alternative energy flows replacing Russian gas. Container imports from the US also increased by 8%, although growth has slowed slightly since August.

Balance between resilience and uncertainty 

The results for the first three quarters of 2025 present a balanced yet challenging picture. After a strong start to the year, container flows are stabilising and pressure on terminals is easing, while traffic with the US remains stable. At the same time, declining exports and the challenging position of the European chemical sector illustrate the port’s sensitivity to geopolitical and economic fluctuations.