Port of Rotterdam 1st quarter volume up 7%

Port of Rotterdam 1st quarter volume up 7% The Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands experienced a 6.8 percent year-on-year rise in throughput during the first quarter, handling 105 million tons of cargo.
   Europe’s largest port said the growth in the first three months of 2008 was largely due to the double-digit increase in the transshipment of agribulk (up 15.9 percent to 2 million tons), iron ore and scrap (up 15.3 percent to 10.4 million tons), crude oil (up 11.7 percent to 25.6 million tons), and other liquid bulk (up 14.3 percent at 9 million tons).
   Containers also performed well, gaining 8 percent in terms of weight to 26.7 million tons, or 5.8 percent in 20-foot equivalent units to 2.68 million TEUs. Roll on/roll off cargo improved 2.2 percent to 4.4 million tons.
   On the downside, coal volumes slipped 3.2 percent to 6.1 million tons; other dry bulk was down 6.5 percent to 3 million tons; mineral oil products fell 1.4 percent to 14.9 million tons; other general cargo declined 14.7 percent to 2.1 million tons.
   “Very healthy figures. Even taking into account a correction for the unique trend in crude oil and iron ore, there are still good signs of growth. I am working on the basis of close on 4 percent, therefore on continuing demand from producers and consumers,” said Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority chief executive officer.