Antwerp Bruges Loses 260,000 TEU to Strikes and Oil Spill but Holds Container Market Share

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Port of Antwerp Bruges handled 133.9 million tonnes of maritime cargo during the first half of 2026, down 2.4% from the same period last year as geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and operational disruptions reshaped cargo flows through Europe.

Container traffic accounted for most of the decline. Throughput fell 1.5% in TEU and 3.6% by weight compared with an exceptionally strong first half of 2025. Yet the port maintained its share of the European container market despite losing an estimated 260,000 TEU through three separate disruptions.

A four day strike across the nautical chain in March caused an estimated loss of 100,000 TEU. An oil spill in the Deurganck dock during April removed another 85,000 TEU, while industrial action by pilots in June cost approximately 75,000 TEU.

The port remained operational throughout the disruptions, although carriers diverted vessels, adjusted schedules and worked through accumulated backlogs.

Exports of full containers declined by 5.7%, reflecting the weak export position of Western European industry. Empty container movements increased by 13.7%, exposing a widening imbalance between inbound cargo and goods available for export.

Like empty trucks returning from a delivery without a paying load, rising empty container volumes add costs without generating equivalent trade value.

Trade with countries around the Persian Gulf fell sharply, with imports dropping 57%. The final LNG shipment from Qatar arrived on 23 March, after which regional energy flows almost stopped during April. LNG volumes from Qatar declined by 66%.

Shipping lines redirected services through the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean, while other Middle Eastern ports absorbed part of the displaced traffic. Port of Antwerp Bruges estimated its net cargo loss linked to the Persian Gulf at approximately 2.2 million tonnes.

Higher energy, bunker and transport costs created an additional indirect burden for European manufacturers and logistics operators.

The United States remained the port’s largest trading partner, although imports of full containers from the country fell 10.4% and exports declined 16.5%. Conventional general cargo exports to the United States, mainly steel, dropped 32%.

China produced growth in container traffic, vehicles and steel. Russian LNG imports increased 12.5% ahead of the European import ban scheduled to take effect in 2027.

RoRo throughput increased 5.9%, supported by new vehicles and unaccompanied cargo. The port handled 1.695 million new vehicles, up 7.7%, with volumes from China rising 25.5% and traffic from Japan increasing 5.5%.

Dry bulk grew 2.2%, while liquid bulk declined 1.9%. LNG increased 1.3% and naphtha surged 31.3%. Conventional general cargo fell 11.7% amid weak industrial demand, steel tariffs and uncertainty over European carbon border rules and import quotas.

The Gemini Cooperation added Antwerp calls to its Far East to Europe network, while Premier Alliance deployed larger vessels. Progress also continued on the Extra Container Capacity Antwerp project and the planned Left Bank Container Cluster.

Chief Executive Rob Smeets said shifting trade flows required flexibility from the port community and continued investment in capacity, infrastructure and sustainable logistics.

Board Chairman Johan Klaps said the port’s stable container market share demonstrated the importance of accessibility, operational reliability and sufficient capacity during repeated disruptions.