With a freight volume of 157,8 million tonnes in 2009, Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe and the seventh largest in the world.
The port is the European market leader for handling steel, project cargoes, fruit, forest products, coffee and tobacco. More than 200 forwarding companies based in Antwerp help to secure all these shipping contracts. Numerous stevedoring companies ensure smooth handling of the more than 14,000 seagoing ships and 55,000 barges annually that call at the port, where they have 160 km of quayside available for their loading and unloading activities. The port has over 5,3 million square metres of covered storage space, more than all the neighbouring ports combined.
Antwerp also has the largest lock in the world: the Berendrecht lock, with a width of 68 m and a length of 500 m.

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