Antwerp gained market share in container handling in particular, with 11.87 million TEU and an increase of 6.9 percent.

At the same time, the total volume in the dry bulk segment rose by 3.4% to 13.5 million tons. In break bulk, on the other hand, with steel as the most important product, the consequences of the global turbulence were clearly noticeable, resulting in an overall decline of 18% compared to the previous year. The volume of liquid bulk was also down in 2019, falling by 4.4% to 72.5 million tons.

Launch pad for the future
This year, a strong foundation was laid for the future success of the port of Antwerp and the associated economy with the announcement of major investments in the chemical and logistics sector. In addition to a record investment of three billion euros by INEOS in the Antwerp chemical cluster, the use of the ECLUSE steam heating network also began in 2019. In addition, ExxonMobil commissioned a new delayed coker and other players such as BASF, Borealis and Standic invested in the Antwerp site.

Focus on sustainability
Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of the Port of Antwerp, explained: "We are using the technology and expertise we have in the port to pave the way for a climate-neutral port. We are aiming for a multi-fuel port where different sustainable fuels are available side by side. In the near future, we will be testing tugs that run on sustainable methanol-hydrogen. Other interesting avenues we are exploring are Carbon Capture & Utilization and Carbon Capture & Storage, as well as ways to reuse carbon in circular processes. Our aim is to enable a sustainable transition. The port of Antwerp is playing a pioneering role in this.