North Sea Port cargo throughput picks up
Maritime cargo throughput rose by 1.6 per cent in the third quarter to 17.2 million tonnes.
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North Sea Port handled 17.2 million tonnes of goods by sea in the third quarter. That was 1.6 per cent more than in the same period last year and the strongest quarter in four years.
North Sea Port comprises the ports of Vlissingen, Terneuzen and Gent. The increase was mainly driven by liquid bulk goods and general cargo, including steel products.
Liquid bulk throughput increased by 8.5 per cent. The port operator cites higher volumes of gas oil, diesel and basic chemical products as important factors. General cargo throughput rose by 20.5 per cent.
Not all cargo flows grew. Dry bulk fell by 5.2 per cent, container traffic by 3.4 per cent and roll-on-roll-off traffic by 1 per cent. Dry bulk accounts for about half of total throughput.
According to North Sea Port, the drought had no major effect on total maritime cargo throughput. The port operator said there were delays, however, because of restrictions at the locks in Terneuzen. Some ships were therefore unable to load as deeply.
In the first nine months of the year, maritime cargo throughput was still 2.3 per cent below the figure for the same period in 2025. The port operator therefore describes the third-quarter development as a recovery, but also points to high energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty.
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The main figures, segments and causes can be found directly in North Sea Port's quarterly report. The independent ANP publication confirms the overall trend.
- confirmed North Sea Port handled 17.2 million tonnes by sea in the third quarter. — Mentioned in North Sea Port's quarterly report. source
- confirmed Maritime cargo throughput rose by 1.6 per cent and the quarter was the strongest in four years. — Confirmed by North Sea Port and ANP. source
- confirmed Liquid bulk rose by 8.5 per cent and general cargo by 20.5 per cent. — Included in North Sea Port's segment figures. source
- confirmed The first nine months were 2.3 per cent below the same period in 2025. — Mentioned in the overview of the first nine months. source
Editor's note
The tonnages and growth percentages come from North Sea Port's quarterly figures and were independently reported by ANP. The figures concern the third quarter of 2026 and should not be read as an annual forecast.Sources
- North Sea Port sees recovery in cargo transhipment in the third quarter — North Sea Port
- Goederenoverslag havens Terneuzen, Vlissingen en Gent omhoog — ANP via ZeelandNet
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