After four quarters of subdued growth, in the first three months of 2025 freight traffic in the port system of Antwerp-Bruges decreased by -4.0% over the same period of last year, having fallen to 67.7 million tons. That despite the +4.6% increase in containerized traffic which amounted to 38.4 million tonnes and was with a container handling of 3.4 million TEUs (+4.6%), and the slight increase of +1.1% in rolling stock traffic rose to 5.1 million tons. Freight traffic was equal to 2.2 million tons (-5,4%). The volume of dry bulk cargo, with 3.5 million tonnes (-0.8%), was almost stable while the decrease in liquid bulk cargo has been accentuated amounted to 18.5 million tonnes (-19.1%), with a marked - specified the Belgian Port Authority - in the volumes of gasoline, naphtha and liquefied natural gas. The Port Authority has specified that among the factors that contributed to this decline changed market conditions in Africa, the reduction in of the demand for naphtha by the petrochemical industry and the EU sanctions on Russian LNG transhipments. The volume of products chemicals, on the other hand, increased by +10.9%, mainly thanks to a significant increase in biofuels (+128%). The institution explained that without this impetus, the would have recorded a slight decrease of -1.7% being the European chemical industry under considerable pressure in global competitiveness. Also in sharp decline was the handling of new factory cars down by -9.6% to about 800 thousand vehicles as a result of the difficult situation of the European automotive industry.

On the occasion of today's presentation of statistical data on the port traffic in the first quarter, the Port Authority of Antwerp-Bruges also focused on the possible impact on the traffic in the Belgian port of US import duties announced by the administration led by Donald Trump, clarifying which for now remains limited. Although some companies are By bringing forward the duties - explained the Authority - so far there has been no noted a clear acceleration in exports to the United States. Container exports to the U.S. are increased by +3.2%, steel recorded a temporary peak at January and U.S. exports fell by -20%, in line with the overall decline in exports of Cars. At the same time - the body noted - factors structural, such as the impact on transport planning shipping in the liner container traffic segment, Model changes in the automotive and suspension market temporary production pressures, have increased pressure on terminal. Therefore, although the immediate impact remains for now - warned the Port Authority - it is clear that Further developments in the area of tariffs in the coming months commercial activities could have repercussions on the logistics chain.