The Port of Rotterdam’s throughput in the first quarter of 2014, at 109 million tonnes, was 0.2% below the level for the corresponding period last year.
Split up by goods type, less crude oil (‑2%), mineral oil products (‑14%) and other liquid bulk cargo (‑14%) were transferred. On the positive side, iron ore and scrap (+5%), coal (+15%), agribulk (+69%), other dry bulk cargo (+13%), containers (+1%), roll on/roll off (+9%) and other mixed cargo (+9%) did better.
Focus on Structural Developments
CEO Allard Castelein of the Port of Rotterdam Authority: 'The falling tendency of the second half of 2013 continued initially, but thanks to a strong month in March, the throughput in the first three months nonetheless stayed almost the same. For the whole of 2014, I am counting on slight growth, but my attention will mainly be on structural developments that are putting the Port of Rotterdam under pressure. These include the over-capacity in the European refinery sector, the rapid rise in American shale gas that is putting investments in the European chemicals sector under pressure, and changes in the containers sector. Ship owners are building ever-larger container ships and starting to cooperate intensively to fill them optimally. At the same time, extra terminal capacity has been built in many Northwest European ports while economic growth has lagged behind. Together with customers and stakeholders, we are working to rise to these challenges.'
Read the goods throughput report for the January-March 2013 and 2014 period.
