Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 133.9 million tonnes of maritime cargo in the first half of 2026, a 2.4% decline compared with the same period last year. The port said geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, operational disruptions and weak economic conditions weighed on cargo volumes. Despite these challenges, it maintained its market share in container traffic and continued investing in future capacity. Container volumes affected by strikes and disruptions Container throughput fell 1.5% in TEUs to 6.8 million TEUs and 3.6% in tonnage to 74.2 million tonnes. Full container exports dropped 5.7%, reflecting weak demand from Western Europe. At the same time, empty container volumes increased 13.7%, highlighting a growing imbalance between imports and export cargo. Several operational disruptions also affected performance. A four-day strike in March cost an estimated 100,000 TEUs. An oil spill at Deurganck Dock in April resulted in another 85,000 TEUs of lost throughput. Industrial action by pilots in June caused an additional 75,000-TEU loss. Geopolitical tensions reshape trade flows Geopolitical developments also reshaped trade flows. Imports from countries around the Persian Gulf fell 57% during the first half of the year. LNG imports from Qatar declined 66% after the final shipment arrived in March. The port estimated total cargo losses linked to the Persian Gulf at 2.2 million tonnes. Trade with the United States also weakened. Imports of full containers from the U.S. declined 10.4%, while exports fell 16.5%. Conventional general cargo exports to the U.S., mainly steel, dropped 32%. In contrast, trade with China continued to grow, supported by higher container, vehicle and steel volumes. RoRo outperforms other cargo segments Most cargo segments remained resilient despite weaker container volumes. RoRo: 11 million tonnes, +5.9% Liquid bulk: 37.5 million tonnes, -1.9% Dry bulk: 6.9 million tonnes, +2.3% Conventional general cargo: 4.2 million tonnes, -11.7% The port