Port of Rotterdam’s YTD volumes, net profits up from 2014

Total throughput and net profits at the Port of Rotterdam increased 6.8 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.    Total throughput at the Port of Rotterdam was up 6.8 percent to 236.2 million tons for the first half of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, primarily due to increased volumes in oil products, crude oil, containers and roll-on/roll-off transport, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said.
   The port’s net profits reached 122.5 million euros ($133.2 million) and operating income stood at 338.9 million euros, up 2.6 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively.
   Incoming and outgoing container throughput grew 2.3 percent to 64.8 million tons for the first half of the year. The port handled 6.2 billion TEUs, up 3.7 percent compared with the first half of 2014. The port attributed the increase in container volumes to the recovery of the European economy and an increase in transshipment traffic.
   For the breakbulk sector, throughput stood at 13.4 million tons, up 4.4 percent. Specific breakbulk commodity volumes included roll-on/roll-off transport, which was up 9.6 percent to 10.7 million tons; and other general cargo, which was down 12 percent to 2.7 million tons.
   For the dry bulk sector, throughput stood at 43.7 million tons, down 4.9 percent. Specific dry bulk commodity volumes included iron ore and scrap, which were down 3.3 percent to 16.9 million tons; coal, down 2.2 percent to 15.6 million tons; agribulk, down 18.4 percent to 4.7 million tons; and other dry bulk, down 3.6 percent to 6.4 million tons.
   For the liquid bulk sector, throughput stood at 114.3 million tons for the first half of the year, up 15.4 percent. Specific liquid bulk commodity volumes included crude oil, which was up 8.3 percent to 51.7 million tons; mineral oil products, up 29.7 percent to 46.3 million tons; LNG, up 106.6 percent to 1.1 million tons; and other liquid bulk products, up 0.6 percent to 15.1 million tons.