North Sea Port sees sharp rise in steel-led general cargo

Steel products drove a 20.5 percent year-on-year increase in general cargo handling at North Sea Port, which spans Belgium and the Netherlands, in the third quarter of 2026.

Companies operating across Vlissingen, Terneuzen and Ghent handled 17.2 million tonnes of cargo by sea in Q3, up 1.6 percent on the same period last year, according to the port authority. General cargo rose most, with steel products accounting for much of the growth.

Overall seaborne throughput has increased in each quarter of 2026 so far, rising from 15 million tonnes in Q1 to 16.8 million tonnes in Q2 and 17.2 million tonnes in Q3. However, the cumulative total for the first nine months, at just under 50 million tonnes, remained 2.3 percent below the corresponding period in 2025.

North Sea Port said third-quarter performance offered grounds for optimism heading into year-end, although high energy costs and rising prices continued to weigh on businesses across the port area.

This story was originally published by Project Cargo Journal. Read the full story at Project Cargo Journal →