Dry bulk throughput increased to 89.2m tonnes in 2013 from 78.1m tonnes in 2012, with a particularly strong increase of around 20% in coal throughput to 30.7m tonnes.
Crude oil throughput fell 7.2m tonnes, with other liquid cargoes remaining largely consistent year on year to return a net drop across liquid cargoes to 206.8m tonnes from 214.2m tonnes in 2012.
Rotterdam retained its position as the main European port with throughput totaling 440.5m tonnes, ahead of second place Antwerp with 193.8m tonnes throughput for 2013.
On the top 10 list of world ports Rotterdam comes in eighth place and, along with third place Singapore, is one of only two non-Chinese ports on the list.
Total container throughput was 11.6m teu, down 0.2m teu from 2012's performance, but enough to maintain Rotterdam's position as Europe's largest container port, followed by Hamburg with 9.2m teu.
The overall improvement in cargo volumes came despite a drop in the number of sea-going ships calling at the port, 29,448 ship visits were recorded, down from 32,057 in 2012.
Commenting on the preliminary results earlier this year, Port of Rotterdam Authority ceo Hans Smits, commented, "Things are exactly the reverse of last year. Where in 2012 crude oil and oil products provided growth, they have failed this year. Now, coal, ore and scrap and agribulk in particular have increased. The main reason for the lack of growth is the continuing economic slump."
In march this year, the port claimed that it loses out to state-funded competition in Europe, negatively affecting its results to the tune of around 1m teu.
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