Sea transport

37 million tonnes of goods unloaded in Belgian ports in the first quarter of 2024

Mobility
37 million tonnes of goods unloaded in Belgian ports in the first quarter of 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, the total quantity of goods unloaded in Belgian sea ports amounted to 37.2 million tonnes. This is an increase of 6.5% compared to the previous quarter but a decrease of 3.3% compared to the same quarter of 2023.

The quantity of loaded goods increased by 3.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 and by 4.9% on an annual basis to 33.2 million tonnes.

In the first quarter of 2023, the total number of sea-going ships arriving in Belgian sea ports amounts to 5,346. This is a decrease of 0.4% compared to the previous quarter and of 2.4% compared to the same quarter of 2023.

The total number of sea-going ships departing from Belgian ports was 5,381, i.e. a 0.8% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 and a 1.7% decrease compared to the same quarter of 2023.

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Sea transport (2021-2024)

Sea transport (2021-2024) 2021-T3 2021-T4 2022-T1 2022-T2 2022-T3 2022-T4 2023-T1 2023-T2 2023-T3 2023-T4 2024-T1
Arriving ships (a) 6,076 6,189 5,659 5,905 5,849 5,666 5,475 5,821 5,641 5,366 5,346
Departing ships (a) 6,095 6,155 5,677 5,923 5,851 5,691 5,475 5,840 5,663 5,338 5,381
Cargo loaded (x 1,000 t) 33,077 34,336 33,268 33,688 31,645 32,789 31,621 31,992 30,925 32,052 33,157
Cargo unloaded (x 1,000 t) 37,178 38,799 39,723 42,442 37,988 36,687 38,456 38,319 34,683 34,939 37,194
Disembarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) 1,631 487 331 468 579 625 817 908 940 970 725
Embarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) 1,815 655 411 414 557 602 737 805 903 800 733
(a) Including extra-Community transit.
(b) Excluding cruise passengers
Source: Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics - Statistics Belgium)
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Sea transport (1997-2023)

Sea transport (1997-2023) 1997 2007 2010 2015 2020 2021 2022 2023
Arriving ships (a) 32,248 34,043 28,812 24,806 23,679 24,609 23,079 22,303
Departing ships (a) 30,291 35,080 29,640 25,770 24,006 24,552 23,142 22,316
Cargo loaded (x 1,000 t) 61,856 102,365 100,794 112,468 126,387 136,321 131,389 126,590
Cargo unloaded (x 1,000 t) 100,208 134,327 125,561 128,715 142,288 152,506 156,840 146,397
Disembarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) 925 378 300 177 19 3 2 4
Embarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) 1,021 381 310 176 21 3 2 3
(a) Including extra-Community transit.
(b) Excluding cruise passengers
Source: Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics - Statistics Belgium)
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Purpose and brief description

De zeevaartstatistieken geven een beeld van de evolutie van het aantal zeeschepen, de tonnenmaat en het scheepstype, het aantal en gewicht van de goederen, het vrachttype, het continent van lading of lossing, het aantal passagiers…

Frequency

Quarterly

Timing publication

Results available 5 months after the reference period

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