6.8% decrease in goods unloaded in Belgian ports
In the third quarter 2025, the total quantity of goods unloaded in Belgian sea ports amounted to just over 35 million tonnes. This is an decrease of 6.8% compared to the previous quarter and a decrease of 0.2% compared to the same quarter in 2024. This is what emerged from the new results of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.
The quantity of loaded goods decreased by 7.3% compared to the second quarter 2025 and decreased by 5.4% on an annual basis to over 29 million tonnes.
In the third quarter 2025, the total number of sea-going ships arriving in Belgian sea ports amounts to 5,484 This is an decrease of 1.6% compared to the previous quarter and a decrease of 1.5% compared to the same quarter in 2024.
The total number of sea-going ships that departed is 5,544 i.e. a 0.5% decrease compared to the second quarter 2025 and a 2.5% decrease compared to the same quarter in 2024.
Sea transport (2022-2025)
| Sea transport (2022-2025) | 2022-T1 | 2022-T2 | 2022-T3 | 2022-T4 | 2023-T1 | 2023-T2 | 2023-T3 | 2023-T4 | 2024-T1 | 2024-T2 | 2024-T3 | 2024-T4 | 2025-T1 | 2025-T2 | 2025-T3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriving ships (a) | 5,659 | 5,905 | 5,849 | 5,666 | 5,475 | 5,821 | 5,641 | 5,366 | 5,346 | 5,556 | 5,567 | 5,657 | 5,240 | 5,576 | 5,484 |
| Departing ships (a) | 5,677 | 5,923 | 5,851 | 5,691 | 5,475 | 5,840 | 5,663 | 5,338 | 5,381 | 5,539 | 5,586 | 5,646 | 5,127 | 5,473 | 5,444 |
| Cargo loaded (x 1,000 t) | 33,268 | 33,688 | 31,645 | 32,789 | 31,621 | 31,992 | 30,925 | 32,052 | 33,158 | 33,447 | 31,023 | 30,490 | 31,351 | 31,665 | 29,354 |
| Cargo unloaded (x 1,000 t) | 39,723 | 42,442 | 37,988 | 36,687 | 38,456 | 38,319 | 34,683 | 34,939 | 37,195 | 38,772 | 35,241 | 35,569 | 36,727 | 37,734 | 35,161 |
| Disembarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) | 331 | 468 | 579 | 625 | 817 | 908 | 940 | 970 | 725 | 635 | 623 | 660 | 735 | 610 | 649 |
| Embarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) | 411 | 414 | 557 | 602 | 737 | 805 | 903 | 800 | 733 | 773 | 691 | 754 | 860 | 910 | 848 |
| (a) Including extra-Community transit. (b) Excluding cruise passengers Source: Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics - Statistics Belgium) |
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Sea transport (1997-2024)
| Sea transport (1997-2024) | 1997 | 2007 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriving ships (a) | 32,248 | 34,043 | 28,812 | 24,806 | 23,679 | 24,609 | 23,079 | 22,303 | 22,126 |
| Departing ships (a) | 30,291 | 35,080 | 29,640 | 25,770 | 24,006 | 24,552 | 23,142 | 22,316 | 22,152 |
| Cargo loaded (x 1,000 t) | 61,856 | 102,365 | 100,794 | 112,468 | 126,387 | 136,321 | 131,389 | 126,590 | 128,118 |
| Cargo unloaded (x 1,000 t) | 100,208 | 134,327 | 125,561 | 128,715 | 142,288 | 152,506 | 156,840 | 146,397 | 146,776 |
| Disembarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) | 925 | 378 | 300 | 177 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Embarked passengers (x 1,000)(b) | 1,021 | 381 | 310 | 176 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 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