Port of Zeebrugge’s freight tonnage reaches 22 million in first six months
During the first half of 2014, Zeebrugge freight tonnage was up 3.7 percent in comparison with 2013’s first semester. The port handled a total of 22,040,932 tonnes. The best results were set in the container sector and the roll-on/roll-off traffic, the company said in its press release.
Roll-on/roll-off traffic rose with 5.8 percent to 6,603,180 tonnes, thanks to the strong economic repair in the United Kingdom.
In the number of new cars passing through Zeebrugge, there was an increase of 12.7 percent, 1,061,866 units. With this result, the port is well on target to top 2 million cars by the end of the year.
For the container sector in Zeebrugge, it has also been a very good first year half. Container traffic was up with 10.2 percent en ended with 10,952,836 tonnes. This is 1,056,311 TEU and a rise of 9.9 percent.
General cargo fell down 35 percent, reaching a total tonnage of 600,304 tonnes. Fewer building materials for the construction of wind mill parks in the North Sea were transported. Also, the import of paper pulp from Brasil en Sweden dropped.
Liquid bulk lost 4.7 percent and reached 3,288,370 tonnes.
Solid bulk fell back to 596,242 tonnes, - 14.9 percent. Sand and gravel tonnage was fell back 22.3 percent, ending on 137,730 tonnes.
“We are pleased that the Port of Zeebrugge handled almost 1 million tonnes more freight than it did during the first half of 2013. This makes us cautiously optimistic, as the maritime world still faces great challenges.”, says Joachim Coens, CEO Port of Zeebrugge.