Maritime transport and ports

Today, more than 80% of global trade (by volume) is transported by sea, amounting to 12.3 billion tonnes of goods in 2023. As of 1 January 2024, the global merchant fleet comprised approximately 109,000 commercial vessels with a total deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 2.35 billion (UNCTAD 2025).

Given the location of the Flemish seaports along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, the Le Havre-Hamburg range, proper spatial planning with a strong focus on safety is of great importance. In the Belgian part of the North Sea, shipping lanes for sea-going vessels are legally established in the Marine Spatial Plan (MSP, Royal Decree of 22 May 2019, see also Verhalle and Van de Velde 2020). The current shipping lanes within Belgian and Dutch waters have been in effect since 1 June 2017 and serve multiple purposes. These routes aim to improve the flow of maritime traffic between France and Germany, enhance navigation safety and efficiency for vessels, and implement targeted measures to reduce the risk of collisions and environmental damage.

The Flemish seaports are also of major economic significance. In 2023, total cargo turnover in the Le Havre-Hamburg range amounted to approximately 1.1 billion tonnes, with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges accounting for about a quarter of this volume (271.4 million tonnes) (Monitoring Mobiliteit). This high level of economic activity generates substantial economic added value. In 2020, the direct economic added value of the Flemish seaports amounted to 17.1 billion euro. The Port of Antwerp (which has since merged with Zeebrugge to form the Port of Antwerp-Bruges) contributed the highest direct added value, generating 11.2 billion euro, followed by North Sea Port Flanders (4.1 billion euro), Zeebrugge (1.1 billion euro), and the Port Oostende (0.7 billion euro) (Merckx 2020, Rubbrecht 2022).

Direct employment in the Flemish seaports amounted to 106,569 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in 2020. The Port of Antwerp was the largest contributor to employment (62,781 FTEs, 58.9%), followed by North Sea Port Flanders (28,877 FTEs, 27.1%), Zeebrugge (9,825 FTEs, 9.2%), and the Port Oostende (5,086 FTEs, 4.8%) (Merckx 2020, Rubbrecht 2022).

For more information on this topic, see the thematic chapter Maritime transport, shipping, and ports in the Compendium for Coast and Sea and KustINzicht 2025.