The following release was published by Port of Rotterdam:
The throughput in the port of Rotterdam decreased by 0.4% in the first three quarters of this year. The total throughput therefore equalled 328.6 million tonnes compared to 329.9 million tonnes in the same period of the previous year. However, the Rotterdam container sector saw growth: there was an increase in terms of weight (3.0%) and containers (2.2%). Iron ore and scrap also increased by 2.3 million tonnes (11.1%). The decline in total throughput is mainly due to a lower throughput of coal and crude oil.
Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority: “Global trade saw a tentative recovery in recent months. Consumer confidence has increased and this translated to a growth in container throughput. The drop in the throughput in other segments sadly shows that European industry is still wrestling with a weak competitive position due to high energy costs. These developments come as no surprise. We continue to deal with major challenges on the geopolitical stage and in the global supply chains. We therefore don’t expect to see any major shifts in commodity flows in the remaining months of this year.”
Containers
The container throughput recovery has continued in recent months. Throughput in tonnes showed an increase of 3.0% (from 98.1 million tonnes to 101.1 million tonnes) and in TEUs (standard unit for containers), throughput increased by 2.2% to 10.4 million TEUs. The increase is mainly due to increasing consumer spending in Europe. Spending is rising again after a period of lower purchasing power. Stocks that were run down after the pandemic are now back to previous levels. Since industrial production in Europe has not yet fully recovered, exports of finished goods such as capital goods and automotive parts are lagging behind.
Uncertainties due to reroutes around the Cape of Good Hope led to an early peak season in summer. In September, however, some services were diverted via other ports. Volumes in Rotterdam were therefore lower this month. Congestion at ports in Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe experienced earlier this year have now eased. Due to the limited vessel capacity, the number of port calls is still lower than last year, resulting in very full vessels. This means that terminals at the port and in the hinterland are still facing peak loads.
Source: Port of Rotterdam: