In the fourth trimester of 2021 the containerized traffic in the port of Antwerp decreased by -8.5%

In the October-December quarter of 2021, in fact, the volume total goods amounted to 60.6 million tons, with a slight increase of +1.1% on the same period of the previous year when the previous one had been totaled record for the fourth quarter of the year. Growth is has been mitigated by the significant drop in container traffic that is attested to 33.1 million tons (- 8.5%), volume that it was made with an even handling of containers to 2.9 million teu (-8.2%). All other types are on the rise commodities starting from other miscellaneous goods, with rolling stock that were pairs to 1,4 million tons (+3.2%) and the goods conventional to 3.2 million tons (+109.0%). Progression also of liquid bulk with 19,1 million tons (+5.9%) and of the dry ones with 3.8 million tons (+33.7%).

Also in the whole of 2021 containerized traffic is result down having been equal to 138.4 million tons with a container handling of 12.0 million of teu, with contractions of -0.5% and -0.1% respectively on the year previous. On the other hand, the increase in rolling stock is significant with 5.3 million tons (+13.9%) as well as that of goods conventional with 11.5 million tons (+73.6%). Bulk liquid are piled to 71,2 million tons (+3.1%) and the solid bulk at 13.3 million tons (+15.1%). Last year car traffic through the Belgian airport was of 972 thousand cars, with a recovery of +7.7% on 2020 when it was a decrease of -26.0% on the previous year was recorded.

"Despite the good performance - he commented the MANAGING DIRECTOR of Port of Antwerp, Jacques Vendermeiren - 2021 was not an easy year for the our port. In just one year, thanks to resilience and quality of our port community recognized in all over the world, we are back to the pre-Covid-19 year of 2019. However, important areas of concern continue to persist: in the short term, the availability of labour in the framework the current difficult sanitation situation; in the long run Term, the question of pollution by nitrogen oxides, the achievement of the absolutely necessary additional capacity containerized and the energy transition will be great Challenges. For this - underlined Vendermeiren referring to the very recent green light for the merger with the port of Zeebrugge ( of 10 January 2022) - the historic merger agreement with the port of Zeebrugge is visionary: together we are stronger for to face the challenges of the future".