It handled a total of 143m tonnes to 30 September.

Liquid bulk rose by 32% to 44.47m tonnes, with oil derivatives at 32.21m tonnes, a jump of 36.7%.

Chemicals added 9.2% to reach 8.46m tonnes, while crude soared 71.4% to 3.48m tonnes

Dry bulk volumes were down by 25.6% to 10.94m tonnes, however, as coal imports fell 57.4%.

It blamed rail freight rates to the German hinterland, making Antwerp's fees less competitive than some neighbouring ports.