Port of Rotterdam with sharp rise in container throughput

In the year 2014, the initial effect of the increase in scale in international container shipping became visible in the port of Rotterdam

In 2014, the throughput in the port of Rotterdam went up 1% to 445 million tonnes. The different market sectors performed quite dissimilar. The container sector, up by 5.8% (volume) and breakbulk, with 12.1% growth, did exceptionally well. Oil products fell the most, by 8.1%. An extra 4.8% of crude oil passed through the port. Dry bulk fell by 0.7%.

There was a 5.8% increase in container throughput, to 12.3 million TEU (numbers) and a 5.2% increase to 127.6 million tonnes (weight). This sharp rise can be explained by a combination of factors. The economy in both the Eurozone and the United Kingdom is improving. As a result, there has been an increase particularly in the deepsea volumes on the shipping routes to Asia and North America. Moreover, the initial effects of the increase in scale in container shipping became visible: Rotterdam is an attractive port for the ever larger ships.

Breakbulk is a combination of roll on/roll off (ro/ro) traffic and other mixed cargo. Throughput in this category increased by 12.1%, to 26 million tonnes. Ro/ro traffic was up by 8.1% to 20 million tonnes, thanks largely to the improvement in the British economy. In the category other mixed cargo, steel, non-ferrous metals and project cargo did particularly well. Other mixed cargo, for years on the decline as more and more cargo disappeared into containers, did exceptionally well, with up by 28.1% to 6.04 million tonnes.

Comments Allard Castelein, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO: “In 2015 we expect the same growth in throughput as last year: 1%. This year too, the main growth is expected in the container sector. In the coming years, we will nurture the large, existing sectors in the port, whilst also focusing strongly on innovation and broadening the range of activities in the port. We need both for a healthy future.”

For the container sector the development of the hinterland connections is particularly important. This year the new container terminals on Maasvlakte 2 will be busy starting up; from 2016 onwards, however, there will actually be extra capacity for further growth.’’

www.portofrotterdam.com

Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com