North Sea Port reports strongest quarterly maritime cargo volume in four years

North Sea Port, which operates the ports of Vlissingen, Terneuzen, and Ghent, reported its strongest quarterly maritime cargo throughput in four years during the third quarter of 2026. Maritime cargo handling rose by 1.6 percent to 17.2 million tons compared to the same period last year.

The growth was primarily driven by an 8.5 percent increase in liquid bulk, including diesel, gas oil, and basic chemical products, as well as a more than 20 percent surge in breakbulk, largely due to steel products. Conversely, dry bulk—which accounts for approximately half of the total throughput—saw a decline of over 5 percent, impacted by lower volumes of coke, raw iron, and soybeans.

While maritime throughput increased, inland shipping saw a 2.6 percent decrease, falling to 15.2 million tons. Despite recent drought conditions causing delays at the North Sea locks in Terneuzen and requiring some vessels to lighten their loads, the port operator noted that the impact on overall maritime throughput was relatively limited.