Port of Antwerp: Slightly growth driven by liquid bulk

1.7 percent less container volume but 35 percent more container ships with 13,000 TEU or more capacitiy in the port of Antwerp in the first half year
 
Port of Antwerp handled 95.66 million tonnes of freight during the first six months of this year, an increase of two percent in comparison with the same period in 2012. Liquid bulk in particular showed strong growth, especially petroleum derivatives. “In combination with the investments recently announced, these half-year figures lead us to be cautiously optimistic for the first semester," declares Port Authority CEO Eddy Bruyninckx.
 
The container volume fell slightly to 4.29 million TEU. This is 1.7 percent less than in 2012 when the volume came to 4.36 million TEU. Expressed in tonnage the volume contracted by 3.7 percent to 51.5 million tonnes, down from 53.5 million tonnes in the same period last year. 
 
In the conventional breakbulk sector 5.35 million tonnes of freight was loaded and unloaded, down by 0.4 percent compared with the same period in 2012. Despite this Antwerp still keeps its position as the largest breakbulk port in the range. The ro/ro volume for its part was down by 3.8 percent to 2.32 million tonnes, although the number of cars handled increased by 5.6 percent to 652,038 units.
 
The volume of dry and liquid bulk together rose by 12.1 percent to 36.48 million tonnes. The dry bulk volume contracted by 31.6 percent to 7.23 million tonnes, mainly due to stocks being run down in various North-West European ports. Import volumes are expected to pick up again in the coming months. Liquid bulk on the other hand was up by 33.1 percent to 29.25 million tonnes. The volumes of crude oil and oil derivatives in particular sent the figures soaring. The rise is largely due to the new Sea Tank Terminal 510 and Independent Belgian Refinery, which were started up again after Gunvor acquired them and made heavy investments.  But most of the other oil product terminals also noted sharp increases.
 
 During the first six months of 2013 a total of 7,234 seagoing ships called at the port of Antwerp, down by 1.7 percent compared with the same period last year. On the other hand the gross tonnage rose by 3.5 percent to 163.5 million, showing that the size of ships calling at Antwerp is increasing. In comparison with the first half of 2012, this year 35 percent more container ships of 13,000 TEU or more put into the port of Antwerp. 
 
www.portofantwerp.be

Quelle: LogEastics

Portal: www.logistik-express.com