July 16 - The Port of Antwerp has released cargo data for throughput between January and June 2010 that shows break bulk and heavy lift cargo tonnage is static at the Belgian port.

During this period, the volume of conventional breakbulk freight was up only slightly, with 1.2 percent more being loaded and unloaded from January to June.

The total amount for the first six months was 5.5 million tonnes, 43.6 percent less than in 2007 and 34.8 percent less than in 2008.

"Conventional and breakbulk remains an area of concern, as the decline cannot be explained entirely by the state of the economy," says the port.

During the first six months of this year the port of Antwerp handled 86.85 million tonnes of freight, an increase of 12.7 percent compared with the same period last year, when the volume came to 77 million tonnes.