The port of Antwerp has remained operational throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but lower global production and shipment of goods led freight volumes to fall across all segments in the first half of the year, except for containers.
The Belgian port handled about the same number of twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers in the first half as a year before, despite an uptick in cancelled container ship sailings from April. Fewer container vessels called at the port, but each ship was loaded with more containers than a year ago. Shipments of pharmaceuticals, e-commerce and health food have risen during the lockdowns.
The port expects blank container sailings to continue in the third quarter, and that the recovery will depend on consumer confidence and resumption of industrial production.
Breakbulk was most affected, with a drop of 29pc as throughput of steel and iron were heavily down as factories closed or ran at reduced rates during the pandemic.
Ro-ro traffic fell by 22pc on the year as Europe exported fewer new cars and imported fewer new Asian cars, and the second-hand car market was also affected because of travel restrictions.
Dry bulk volumes fell by 13pc as coal shipments dropped in the second quarter. Coal shipments fell partly because of less demand from the steel industry, but also because renewable energy has replaced coal for power generation, the port said. Fertiliser demand held up better and Antwerp handled 1pc more on the year.
Liquid bulk traffic fell by almost 8pc as demand for transport fuels and other oil products slumped amid travel restrictions. The port handled 9pc less chemicals, which it attributed to lower demand from the automotive sector.
In total the Belgian port handled 5pc less freight volumes in the first half. A total of 6,800 vessels called at Antwerp, which was nearly 6pc fewer. Gross tonnage was down by 8pc to 193mn t.
The port does not publish numbers for bunker supply volumes, but lower freight throughput, vessel traffic and gross tonnage will weigh on bunker demand. Bunker suppliers operating in the port have said demand has been down significantly in May and June.
