Sequentially, volumes rose 3.1% in the third quarter from the second quarter, which was already at a record level, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said in a press release. The increased throughput of containers can be attributed to a number of factors including solid autonomous growth in Europe combined with Rotterdam’s favourable position within the new sailing schedules recently adopted by the major alliances, increased productivity and throughput volumes at the Maasvlakte 2 terminals and Rotterdam’s strengthened appeal as a transhipment port in connection with increased vessel sizes and relay/feeder options to/from other European ports, it added.
Port of Rotterdam Authority ceo Allard Castelein said: “Thanks in part to the 10% increase in container throughput volumes, this has proven a fine quarter for our port statistics. Still, this growth is offset by lower throughput volumes in various other segments. For example, the volume of coal handled in our port has fallen in comparison with 2016 due to the closure of two coal-fired power plants in Rotterdam and the increased production of renewable energy.”
Dry bulk volumes also rose, albeit more modestly, by 1.4% to 61.1m tonnes with a strong 14.7% increase in the agribulk category (cereals/animal feed) offset by a 2.6% fall in the volume of coal handled caused by the the closure of two coal-fired power plants on Maasvlakte.
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