Rotterdam’s 1st-half throughput up 7.7%

Rotterdam’s 1st-half throughput up 7.7% The Dutch Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s busiest port, today reported half-year cargo throughput of 213.3 million tons, a 7.7 percent increase from the first six months of 2007.
   The port’s biggest rise came in the dry bulk segment, up 10.5 percent to 46.7 million tons, while liquid bulk goods rose 8.7 percent to 99 millions tons. General cargo improved 4.4 percent to 67.6 million tons including containers (up 6.9 percent at 54.6 million tons) and roll on/roll off cargo (up 2.6 percent to 8.9 million tons). Containers, measured in equivalent units, were 4 percent higher at 5.4 million TEUs.
   'These are the best half-yearly results for the past 10 years, with a second quarter that was even slightly better than the first,” said Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority chief executive officer.
   “The second half of the year has got off to an encouraging start, but the port won't be able to escape the effects of the falling economic growth in Asia in particular, and to a lesser extent Western Europe. On the other hand, a complete port like Rotterdam can continue to benefit from those countries or sectors which are continuing to grow. We are strengthening our position, for example in the Baltic area, in biofuels and in steel. All in all, I therefore remain optimistic and expect us to show 4 percent growth for the year as a whole at around 420 million tons in throughput.'
   Meanwhile, Smits also announced that following 15 years of planning and preparation construction work on the port’s 16 million-TEU Maasvlakte 2 expansion project would commence at the beginning of September.