Rotterdam Port's box volume slides 15% in first half

In the first half of 2009, container throughput at Rotterdam Port fell by 15% to 4.6 million TEU compared with 5.42 million TEU in the same period of 2008.

Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO said, “We believe that the bottom of the cycle has been reached. In the second half of the year, I expect throughput to stabilise, bringing the shrinkage for the year as a whole to approximately -12%.”

185 million tonnes of goods were handled in the first six months, 13.4% down on the same period of 2008. Exports fell by 4.6% to 54 million tonnes, while imports by 16.6% to 131 million tonnes.

Bulk cargo throughput was down by 12.4% to 128 million tonnes. Results for general cargo were 15.5% lower, at 57 million tonnes. Only the handling of mineral oil products showed an increase, up by 17% or 5 million tonnes, to over 35 million tonnes.

All other categories of goods were way down: agribulk (-19%), ores and scrap (-61%), coal (-14%), other dry bulk (-28%), crude oil (-4%), other liquid bulk (-20%), roll on/roll off (-14%), other general cargo (-27%) and containers (-15%).