Belgium is a small country with an outsized role in European maritime trade. Sitting at the heart of the Hamburg–Le Havre Range – the most competitive container port corridor in the world – Belgium hosts one of the EU’s two largest container ports, the world’s biggest integrated chemical cluster, and Europe’s leading ro–ro and vehicle handling hub. For any shipper moving cargo into or out of the European continent, Belgium’s ports are difficult to ignore.
Major Ports in Belgium – overview
Belgium’s commercial port system centers on three main complexes: the combined Antwerp–Bruges platform (which integrates Antwerp’s container dominance with Zeebrugge’s ro–ro and cruise capabilities), the Port of Ghent (now part of North Sea Port), and the inland Port of Liège. For container shippers, Antwerp–Bruges is the overwhelming focus.
3. Port of Liège (inland port)
- Location: Liège, Wallonia, on the Albert Canal and Meuse River
- Key Commodities: Steel, bulk materials, chemicals, containers (limited)
- Main Trade Routes: Barge connections to Antwerp, Rhine corridor
Liège is one of Europe’s largest inland ports by barge throughput and a key industrial node for the steel, chemicals, and logistics sectors of southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Most cargo passing through Liège connects via barge to Antwerp–Bruges for onward deep–sea shipment. While it is not a container port in the traditional sense, it plays an important role in the supply chains of companies manufacturing or sourcing in the Wallonia industrial belt.
2. North Sea Port – Ghent
- Location: Ghent, East Flanders (Ghent–Terneuzen Canal)
- Total Cargo: approximately 38 million tonnes (Belgian side)
- Key Commodities: Steel, coal, grain, chemicals, vehicles
- Main Trade Routes: Atlantic, North Sea, Rhine barge connections
The Port of Ghent merged with the Dutch port of Terneuzen and Vlissingen to form North Sea Port in 2018. On the Belgian side, Ghent remains a major hub for steel production, automotive manufacturing, and agri–bulk. Its canal connection to the North Sea gives deep–water access to vessels up to 80,000 DWT, and a direct rail link connects Ghent to the main European freight network.
1. Largest Port in Belgium: Port of Antwerp–Bruges (BEANR / BEZEE)
- Location: Antwerp (container hub) and Zeebrugge (ro–ro and cruise hub), Flanders
- 2024 Container Throughput: 13.5 million TEU (+8.1% year–on–year)
- 2024 Total Throughput: 278 million tonnes (+2.3%)
- Key Commodities: Containers, chemicals, vehicles, reefer, LNG, pharmaceuticals
- Main Trade Partners: China, USA, Brazil, India, Middle East
Port of Antwerp–Bruges is the second–largest container port in Europe and the third–largest in the world outside Asia. Formed through the 2022 merger of the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Bruges–Zeebrugge, it combines two complementary port platforms into one of the world’s most versatile logistics complexes. Container volumes grew 8.1% in 2024 to 13.5 million TEUs – the strongest growth rate among all major North Range ports, as the port capitalized on Red Sea rerouting and growing European consumer demand.
Antwerp is home to Europe’s largest integrated chemical cluster – over 300 chemical companies operate within the port perimeter, creating a unique co–location ecosystem for chemical logistics. Nearly one in ten containers handled at the port in 2024 was a reefer box, with full reefer volumes growing 9.2%. This makes Antwerp–Bruges Europe’s leading port for temperature–sensitive cargo.
Zeebrugge, the port’s second platform on the North Sea, functions as Europe’s top ro–ro hub for new and used vehicles. The port handles hundreds of thousands of new cars per year, connecting European automotive manufacturers to global markets. It also hosted 187 cruise ships in 2024, carrying 557,000 passengers.
Antwerp–Bruges is best for: importers and exporters trading across any European market. It is the top choice for chemical cargo, reefer shipments, automotive ro–ro, and high–volume FCL from Asia. For UK importers, Zeebrugge offers particularly well–developed short–sea ro–ro connections.
Belgium’s Ports at a Glance – quick comparison
| Port | TEU / Tonnage | Best For | Key Region Served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port of Liège (inland) | ~1M tonnes (inland port) | Barge freight, industrial cargo | Wallonia, Luxembourg, German border |
| North Sea Port (Ghent) | ~38M tonnes total | Steel, chemicals, agri–bulk | Ghent, Flemish industrial belt |
| Port of Antwerp–Bruges | 13.5M TEU / 278M tonnes | Containers, chemicals, reefer, ro–ro | All of Europe via Rhine, rail, road |
Belgium’s port dominance
Belgium’s port dominance is a product of geography and infrastructure investment over centuries. Antwerp sits 88 kilometers inland from the North Sea, which historically protected it from storm damage and allowed the city to develop as a stable commercial hub. Today, that inland position means direct barge connections to the Rhine – and from there to Germany, Switzerland, France, and beyond – that Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte can’t replicate.
In 2025, Port of Antwerp–Bruges continues investing aggressively: a new lock at Zeebrugge, expanded shore power capacity, methanol bunkering services, and a biofuel blending hub at Antwerp are all in development.
Ready to ship through Belgium? Find a freight forwarder on ShipHub
Antwerp–Bruges is one of the most complex port ecosystems in the world – over 1,400 companies operate within the port perimeter. Getting the most out of it requires a forwarder with genuine local expertise, not just a booking desk. Compare freight forwarders for Belgium and European routes on ShipHub →