Antwerp-Bruges container volumes rebound on empty box surge

Container throughput at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges grew 1.2% in TEU terms in the first nine months of 2026, with the third quarter marking the port's best container performance since the final quarter of 2020. The headline growth, however, rests almost entirely on empty containers, which surged 11.7% in TEUs, while full box volumes declined 1.3%.

Total cargo throughput across all segments reached 200.9 million tonnes for January through September, down 0.8% year on year. Container tonnage slipped 0.6% over the same period.

The port authority attributes the empty-box boom to rising imports and weakening exports, which have widened the imbalance between inbound and outbound container flows. The result is greater demand for empty container repositioning, particularly towards Asia — a cost pressure that carriers will either absorb or pass on to shippers through repositioning surcharges and equipment imbalances in export lanes.

What slowed the first half?

The recovery followed a troubled start to the year. Operations at Antwerp-Bruges were hit by adverse weather, strikes and an oil spill at the Deurganck Dock. In July, a damaged container carrying hydrofluoric acid caused further disruption at the same dock. Traffic only began recovering in August, before accelerating into the strongest quarter in nearly six years.

"The strong recovery of container throughput in the third quarter shows the resilience of Port of Antwerp-Bruges," said Rob Smeets, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

How have Middle East tensions reshaped flows?

Geopolitics has left visible marks on the port's trade patterns. Container exports to the Persian Gulf collapsed by 70%, while exports to other parts of the Middle East expanded almost fivefold, as shipping lines adjusted schedules and introduced alternative routes to maintain regional connections.

Energy flows shifted too. The port has received no LNG cargoes from Qatar since March, and diesel supplies from the Middle East stopped in mid-May.

The rest of the cargo mix was mixed through nine months:

• RoRo throughput rose 5.5%, lifted by a 9.3% increase in new vehicle volumes, particularly from China and Japan.
• Dry bulk grew 13%, driven mainly by iron ore and other ores.
• Conventional general cargo fell 16.6%, with iron and steel volumes down 17.5%.
• Liquid bulk stayed under pressure amid weak European industrial demand and high energy costs.

What comes next?

Despite the quarterly rebound, the port authority warned that trade barriers, geopolitical tensions and weak industrial activity continue to weigh on cargo flows. For carriers and forwarders, the empty-repositioning surge signals that Europe's export base remains soft — and unless full outbound volumes recover, the imbalance towards Asia will keep equipment repositioning costs elevated into 2027.