Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 202.6 million tonnes of maritime goods in the first nine months of 2025, a decrease of 3.8% compared with the same period last year.

The throughput of general cargo, including containers, conventional general cargo and RoRo, increased by 1.3%, while dry and liquid bulk together declined by 12.8%.

Following a solid first half of the year, container volumes eased from August onwards, partly as a result of the phase-out of former shipping alliances. Trade with the United States continues to be affected by ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. import tariffs.

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," Port of Antwerp-Bruges said.

"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.

The port reported that 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.

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 — reinforcing 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.

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.