The Port of Antwerp reported a total volume of 186 million metric tonnes, an increase of 4.6% compared to 2010. This figure is only three million tonnes below the absolute record of 189 million posted in 2008. The failure to reach that record was due to a weaker performance by the dry bulk segment, says Eddy Bruyndonckx, chairman of the board of Antwerp Port Authority.

With more than 50 million tonnes, the Port of Ghent set a new record, as it also did in 2010. As with the previous year, Ghent owes a great deal to the massive growth of inland navigation traffic. The coastal Port of Zeebrugge, meanwhile, had to content itself with just over 47 million tonnes, a decrease of 4.5%. For Zeebrugge, too, 2010 was a record year, making 2011 the second best.

Flanders’ other North Sea port, Ostend, increased its volume by 4% to 1.6 million tonnes, the third increase in a row. Due to the reduction of the Transeuropa fleet from four vessels to two, roll-on roll-off traffic volume decreased to 2.3 million tonnes (down 21%). Ostend-Bruges International Airport lost more than 10% of its cargo volume, which was reduced to 57,381 tonnes. Ostend’s all-time high was 2007, when the airport handled a whopping 108,957 tonnes, thanks to British cargo operator MK Airlines, which went bankrupt in 2009.

Brussels Airport Company, on the other hand is quite satisfied with the 470,000 tonnes of air cargo handled at Zaventem, especially in times of globally falling volumes. For the first time since DHL Express demoted its Brussels operation from a European to a regional hub status, express volume in Brussels was on the rise again.

Just before the turn of the year, Flemish minister for innovation Ingrid Lieten extended the mission of the Flemish Institute for Logistics (VIL) for another four years. The VIL is a centre of competence, expertise and innovation. Its main objective is to support the ambition of the Flemish government to promote Flanders as a sustainable and innovative logistic region by 2020.