Port of Algiers: Traffic up by more than 17% in the third quarter of 2025

Accordingly, freight traffic handled recorded a significant rise 17.31% in the third quarter of 2025, driven in particular by the momentum of non-hydrocarbon exports, according to the latest report from the Algiers Port Authority (EPAL). Non-hydrocarbon traffic, representing 66% of total traffic, increased by 8.57% compared to the same period last year, it added. The total tonnage of goods unloaded and loaded during the July-September 2025 period amounted to 2.4 million tonnes, compared with 2 million tonnes during the same period in 2024, the company said in its report published in the latest issue of its magazine.

This increase affected both imports and exports, with growth rates of 12.07% and 56.29% respectively, according to the same source.

"As in previous quarters, the results for the third quarter of 2025 remain very positive and show an improvement in activity on several levels, despite the changes introduced in import procedures," emphasises EPAL, pointing out that "since July 2025, importers have been required to provide documents relating to their projected import programmes." Container traffic also continued its upward trend with 106,293 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) handled, up from 71,383 TEUs in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 48.91%, the report states, adding that net tonnage amounted to 521,160 tons, compared to 482,386 tons in 2024.

Container deliveries grew at the same pace as landings, recording a 30.73% improvement compared to the same period last year, from 23,111 units to 30,212 units delivered. In terms of operations, the average waiting time for ships in the harbour fell from 1.78 days in the third quarter of 2024 to 1.53 days during the same period in 2025. This decrease mainly concerned bulk carriers, whose waiting time fell from 10.78 days to 7.93 days.

However, the time spent at berth by ships handled by EPAL increased slightly, from 3.43 days in the third quarter of the previous year to 3.71 days in 2025, an increase of 0.28 days. This increase affected virtually all types of ships, particularly cargo ships and container ships, which recorded increases of 2.08 days and 1.42 days, respectively.