Rotterdam box volume up 6pc in 2011 to 11.9 million TEU

Time:2012-01-04 Browse:52 Author:RISINGSUN

THE Port of Rotterdam has announced a six per cent increase in container throughput in 2011 year on year to 11.9 million TEU, which it attributes to Asian trade growth.

Container-handling improved by 10 per cent compared to last year with an increased number of 10,000-TEU and 15,000 TEU vessels on the Asia-Europe trade route. In addition, fewer empties were handled and throughput of intra-European containers, short-sea, grew slightly.


Overall Rotterdam cargo volume increased 0.8 per cent, or three million tonnes, in 2011 to 433 million tonnes, said the port authority.


"We are recording growth for the ninth time in 10 years, in spite of the disappointing economy and the fall in growth of throughput since November," said port CEO Hans Smits.


"Throughput in the port is strongly-connected to developments in relevant world trade and German industrial production. On the basis of this, we expect to maintain the current level next year. In the second half of the year, I expect that we will have put the European confidence crisis behind us," he said.


The total quantity of dry bulk handled by the port increased by three per cent to 87 million tonnes, mostly due to a 12 per cent surge in coal throughput to 27 million tonnes.


Liquid bulk fell six per cent to 179 million tonnes with an eight per cent drop in the supply of crude oil to 92 million tonnes. Refinery production was low because of high oil prices and low demand for products in Northwest Europe. The throughput of other liquid bulk increased one per cent to 32 million tonnes.


Roll-on/roll-off volume, mostly with the UK, enjoyed modest growth. This limited the growth in ferry services to four per cent and throughput to a tight 18 million tonnes. Financial margins remained paper-thin, not least because of tough competition, also within Rotterdam.