On the 21st local time, the Port of Antwer-Bruges, Europe's second largest port, released its operating data report for the first nine months of 2025. Data shows that the port's total cargo throughput reached 202.6 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 3.8%.

According to the report, container traffic at the port generally stabilized in the first nine months of this year, but container throughput has shown a downward trend since August. The main reason is the uncertain trade policy of the United States.

According to the report, on the export side, the repeated swing of U.S. import tariffs and the uncertainty of policy direction have had a substantial impact on European ports. In the third quarter of 2025, due to the impact of U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, port steel exports fell by more than a third compared with the previous quarter. Dry bulk transportation volume decreased by 12.8% year-on-year, with the continued sluggish import volume of fertilizer being the main drag.

The decline in exports and the trouble in the European chemical industry indicate that geopolitical and economic volatility has become a major factor affecting the development of European ports.