Antwerp 2013 volume off 0.7pc to 8,578,269 TEU,N but cargo up 3.6pc

Jan.28--ANTWERP posted a 3.6 per cent year-on-year increase in overall cargo in 2013 to 190,849,079 tonnes, driven by a rise in liquid bulk, while the port's box volume slipped 0.7 per cent to 8,578,269 TEU.

Import and Export liquid bulk volumes in 2013 increased 31.4 per cent year on year to 59,493,776 tonnes, rising in oil derivatives, chemicals and crude oil.

The port authorities feel the year is off to a good start with the arrival of the 14,074-TEU CLSL Jupiter. After MSC, Maersk Line and Cosco, China Shipping is the fourth carrier to dock an ultra-large container ship (ULCS) at Antwerp.

Dry bulk volumes fell 24.8 per cent to 14,376,834 tonnes, mainly due to a reduction in coal, down 62 per cent to 2,178,213 tonnes year on year.

Ro-ro also declined, down 4.9 per cent to 4,562,397 tonnes, although the number of cars increased 4.8 per cent compared to 2012's 1,299,961. Conventional breakbulk also contracted 7.4 per cent during the year to 10,090,138 tonnes.

In 2013, 14,220 seagoing ships called at the port, a decrease of 2.3 per cent compared with the previous year, yet gross tonnage rose 3.5 per cent to 329,636,387 gross tonnes.

The jump in gross tonnage was due to the number of ships of 10,000 TEU or more arriving at the port which stood at 198, or 31 more than the previous year. This growth is due exclusively to the category of 13,000 TEU + vessels,N a statement said.