Container throughput at the Port of Rotterdam rose 4 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2013 to 2.8 million 20-foot-equivalent units.
Total container tonnage fell slightly, however, to 30 million metric tons, as the port handled substantially more empties than loaded containers. The port expects that condition to persist because of continuing weakness in the European economy.
Other cargo categories had mixed performance during the quarter in terms of tonnage, with liquid bulk down 3 percent to 53 million metric tons, but dry bulk up 4 percent to 20 million metric tons. Roll-on, roll-off traffic was stable at somewhat more than 4 million metric tons, with performance hindered by a stagnant U.K. economy. Other general cargo throughput declined by 300,000 metric tons, mainly because of reduced handling of some steel product shipments.
The Journal of Commerce
Login
