EMEA News
Port of Antwerp-Bruges Cargo Volumes Fall 2.4% in First Half 2026
Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 133.9 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2026, down 2.4% from a year earlier as weaker container volumes weighed on overall throughput.
Container traffic fell 1.5% in TEU terms and 3.6% by tonnage, with exports of full containers down 5.7%, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges said in an emailed statement on Thursday.
The port authority said strikes in March and June, along with an oil spill at Deurganck Dock in April, disrupted operations and together cost an estimated 260,000 TEU in lost throughput.
Middle East tensions also affected trade. Imports from the Persian Gulf dropped 57%, while LNG shipments from Qatar fell 66% after the final cargo arrived in March.
Trade with the US also weakened, with container exports down 16.5% and imports falling 10.4%.
Despite the decline in container volumes, other cargo segments performed better.
RoRo traffic increased 5.9%, driven by stronger vehicle and unaccompanied cargo volumes, while dry bulk rose 2.2%. The port said it maintained its container market share and continues to invest in additional capacity and infrastructure.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 911.50 | 5.50 | 1278.50 | 16.50 |
| Rotterdam | 735.50 | 6.50 | 1395.00 | 40.50 |
| Houston | 764.00 | 1.00 | 1406.00 | 2.00 |
| Fujairah | 970.50 | 15.50 | 1724.00 | 1.50 |
| EMEA Average | 894.00 | 1.50 | 1707.50 | 13.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 898.00 | 4.00 | 1533.50 | 14.00 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 845.00 | 7.50 | 1451.00 | 15.00 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 950.50 | 0.00 | 1601.00 | 5.00 |
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