The DP World Antwerp Gateway container terminal, located in the Port of Antwerp, closed the 2025 fiscal year with a record volume of 2.47 million TEUs handled, representing an increase of 8.6% compared to the figures achieved in 2024. The historical record was made in a year characterized by economic uncertainty, episodes of port congestion, and a level of labor conflict that the terminal itself described as 'unprecedented'.
Only in December 2025, Antwerp Gateway handled 224,700 TEUs, 14% more than in the same month of the previous year, making it the second-best month in the terminal's history. Only March 2025 exceeded that mark, with a record of 233,000 TEUs that constituted the maximum monthly volume reached to date.
The CEO of DP World Antwerp Gateway, Edi Cioran, evaluated the results stating that '2025 was an exceptional year for the terminal' and that achieving the highest movement volume in its history 'is a testament to the dedication of our employees, the trust of our customers, and the strength of our long-term investment strategy.' According to the operator, the data confirms Antwerp Gateway's position as one of the main ocean freight container hubs in Europe.
The traffic record also coincided with a symbolic year for the facility, which celebrated its twentieth anniversary in October 2025. Cioran remarked that these two decades have been marked by 'innovation, collaboration, and continuous growth,' and that the 2025 record constitutes 'a solid foundation for the next chapter of the terminal.'
The growth figures for Antwerp Gateway align with previously published results by COSCO SHIPPING Ports, one of the terminal's key shareholders. According to data from the Chinese shipping group, Antwerp Gateway remains its largest terminal asset in the Benelux region, ahead of the CSP Zeebrugge terminal and the Euromax terminal in the Maasvlakte of Rotterdam.
Within the COSCO SHIPPING Ports terminal perimeter in the area, Antwerp Gateway led in absolute volume terms, although the Zeebrugge terminal experienced the largest relative growth, with an increase of 33.1% in 2025 to reach 894,200 TEUs. In contrast, Euromax Terminal in Rotterdam recorded a more moderate advance of 2.6%, reaching 2,365,800 TEUs. Both Antwerp Gateway and Zeebrugge exceeded the global growth of 6.2% reported by COSCO SHIPPING Ports for its terminals worldwide during 2025.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges, which includes Antwerp Gateway, is one of the main port complexes in Europe and competes directly with Rotterdam for leadership in container traffic in the northern range of the continent. The positive evolution of Antwerp Gateway occurs in a context where major European container terminals are experiencing uneven growth, influenced by factors such as disruptions in global shipping routes, changes in shipping alliances, and fluctuations in international trade volumes.
The performance of the Belgian terminal is particularly relevant when taking into account the adverse operating environment that characterized much of 2025. Episodes of congestion in several European ports, combined with the uncertainty derived from international trade tensions and labor conflicts affecting various port infrastructures on the continent, created a complex scenario for terminal operators. In this context, Antwerp Gateway’s ability to reach its historical maximum points to a combination of factors including the attraction of new shipping services, the operational efficiency of the terminal, and the loyalty of shipping companies operating at its facilities.
COSCO SHIPPING Ports' stake in the ownership of Antwerp Gateway places the terminal within the global network of one of the world's largest port operators, linked to the COSCO SHIPPING Lines shipping group. This connection facilitates the attraction of ship calls from the shipping alliances in which the Chinese company participates and helps ensure a stable flow of containers to the Belgian terminal.