Rotterdam maintained its position as Europe’s largest container port, with a 2023 throughput of 13.4 million TEU. However, Antwerp-Bruges posted an impressive 6.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in the first nine months of 2024, outperforming Rotterdam’s 2.2%. If this trend continues, the gap between the two could shrink to less than 0.5 million TEU by the end of 2024.
Hamburg, in third place, struggled with a modest decline of 0.4% in 2023, while Bremerhaven showed strong 9.6% growth early in 2024. However, Hamburg remains over 6 million TEU behind Rotterdam.
Mediterranean ports: Southern Europe surges
Southern Europe emerged as a key growth region. Valencia, with a 15.4% y-o-y increase in early 2024, is poised to overtake Piraeus as the fourth-largest EU port by year-end. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s remarkable 21.4% growth has positioned it to challenge both Piraeus and Algeciras. Piraeus suffered a 9.7% decline in 2023, affected by a significant drop in Suez Canal transits, which created a bottleneck in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Algeciras managed a modest 0.9% growth amid intense competition from Tanger Med. Conversely, ports like Gioia Tauro (10.1%) and Sines (14.8%) saw double-digit gains, supported by favourable shifts in shipping routes.
Baltic ports: Gdansk leads the way
Gdansk continued its strong upward trajectory, recording a 10.5% y-o-y increase despite ongoing terminal expansion. The Polish port handled over 2 million TEU in 2023, reinforcing its position as the leading Baltic hub. Other Baltic ports, including Klaipeda and Gdynia, are also nearing significant milestones, with both approaching the 1 million TEU threshold annually.
French Ports: HAROPA gains ground
French port group HAROPA advanced in rankings, achieving a 16% growth in H1 2024 and moving into the tenth position. However, Marseille saw its volumes fall by 13% in 2023, highlighting mixed performance across French ports.
Broader trends and future outlook
According to Port Economics, the container traffic landscape in Europe is evolving rapidly. Six of the top 15 ports achieved double-digit growth in early 2024, reflecting resilience despite challenges such as the Red Sea crisis and shifts in global trade patterns.
The Mediterranean ports, in particular, are capitalising on new opportunities, with Valencia and Barcelona leading the charge. Meanwhile, traditional hubs like Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges face increasing pressure from smaller, fast-growing competitors.
If current trends persist, 2024 will see a reshuffling of rankings, with Valencia likely to claim the fourth spot and Algeciras overtaking Piraeus. The Benelux ports, however, remain dominant, continuing to anchor European maritime trade.