Thessaloniki Port Authority on Tuesday reported a 10-year record for container traffic in 2017, as well the second highest performance in the last 20 years, despite prolonged strikes by customs workers in Gate 16.

The port authority, in its annual statistics released on Tuesday, said that container traffic reached the capacity limits of the container terminal and noted that significant increase was recorded in compatible cargo despite fluctuations during the year related with developments in industrial groups in the region.

Container cargo grew 16.74 pct in 2017 totaling 401,947 TEUs, from 344,316 in 2016. It is a 10-year record and the second highest performance in the last 20 years. Transit operations grew 19.73 pct and Greek exports in containers rose 14.46 pct. “Traffic volume of more than 400,000 TEUs approaches the ceiling of existing capacity of the container terminal,” the authority said in an announcement.

Cargo traffic totaled 3,598,271 tons of compatible cargo in 2017, from 3,312,527 in 2016 (an increase of 8.63 pct), while the number of ships that docked in the port of Thessaloniki grew 12.28 pct to 1,417 from 1,262 in 2016, of which 523 were container ships, 726 cargo ships and 168 were passenger ships.

Dimitris Makris, CEO in Thessaloniki Port Authority, commenting on the results said: “The company set high goals for cargo traffic in 2017 and achieved them. Container traffic reached a 10-year record. The authority expects the continuation of a rising trend in cargo traffic from the second quarter of 2018 and was working systematically to relaunch the 24-hour operation of Gate 16, which remains vital for the growth outlook of the port”.

Thessaloniki Port said revenue totaled 58.1 million euros in 2017, up 11.25 pct from the previous year.

Thessaloniki Port Authority SA will transfer 67 pct of its equity stake to South Europe Gateway Thessaloniki (SEGT) Ltd, the company set up by the consortium of Deutsche Invest Equity Partners GmbH, Belterra Investments Ltd and Terminal Link SAS, which won an international tender for the purchase of the equity stake.