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The Port of Antwerp reports that it recorded a decline in annual ship calls in 2014.

The number of sea-going ships calling at Antwerp last year fell by 1.5 percent, according to data released by the local port authority. In total, there were 14,009 calls by sea-going ships in 2014.

However, the number of calls by ultra-large container ships (ULCSs) - of 10,000 TEU or more - was 266 by the end of December, 68 more than the previous year.

The rise in the number of ships of 13,000 TEU and over was said to have been particularly significant in 2014, with 82 more of these behemoths docking in Antwerp last year.

In total, the port handled 199,012,082 tonnes of freight in 2014, a rise of 4.3 percent compared to the previous year.

Liquid bulk

Meanwhile, the volume of liquid bulk passing through Antwerp rose by 5.6 percent in 2014 to 62,833,647 tonnes. Of that amount, petroleum derivatives swelled by 6.8 percent to 46,068,093 tonnes. Crude oil also showed further growth in 2014 (up 6.5 percent to 4,984,606 tonnes), as did chemicals (up 1.5 percent to 11,375,122 tonnes).

Containers and breakbulk

The number of standard twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers handled rose by 4.7 percent to 8,977,738 TEU in 2014. In terms of tonnage, the figure was even more pronounced, up 5.9 percent. The total volume of containers handled during the 12-month period was 108,314,246 tonnes.

Ro-ro was down by 2.0 percent to 4,470,346 tonnes. The number of cars handled fell by 8.1 percent to 1,195,161 units. Conventional breakbulk also showed a contraction, down by 2.0 percent to 9,884,522 tonnes in 2014.

Dry bulk

The amount of dry bulk handled fell by 6.1 percent to 13,506,321 tonnes. Meanwhile, coal volume nosedived 34.9 percent to 1,417,900 tonnes.