The Port of Antwerp-Bruges lost cargo volumes and market share in 2025 due to labour action and congestion, its chief executive said, reported London's S&P Global.

Port CEO Jacques Vandermeiren said the port endured about 25 days of industrial action last year, costing 2.4 million tonnes of cargo, or one per cent of annual throughput, as carriers diverted to other ports. Container throughput was virtually flat, rising only 0.7 per cent to 13.6 million TEU.

Mr Vandermeiren said inland transport delays, especially on rail, were even longer. He told an online briefing that carriers preferred other ports rather than waiting, adding he was unsure if the loss of services was permanent.

Container traffic remained Antwerp-Bruges' largest contributor, accounting for 150 million tonnes of the 267 million tonnes handled. But overall cargo volumes, including dry and liquid bulk, fell four per cent year on year.

The port lost market share to rivals in the Hamburg-Le Havre range, slipping 1.2 percentage points to 29.3 per cent. Mr Vandermeiren cited diversions around southern Africa, unpredictable US tariff policies and the launch of the Maersk/Hapag-Lloyd Gemini Cooperation as added pressures.

Portcast data showed vessels waiting to berth in Antwerp during the fourth quarter were 35 per cent higher than a year earlier.

Mr Vandermeiren noted US tariffs on China boosted container imports from China by 3.8 per cent, though exports to China fell 3.3 per cent. He said alliance stability and improved handling should ease congestion this year.

He was optimistic labour relations would improve, especially among marine pilots negotiating a new organisation. "The discussions are evolving well in a constructive atmosphere," he said.

Mr Vandermeiren said congestion underscored the urgency of $6 billion in projects, including an initiative to add 7.1 million TEU of capacity through new dock space and expansion of the North Sea terminal. The Flemish government has approved part of the work, with construction expected to begin this year and in 2027, finishing by 2032-33.