Port of Rotterdam sees 350 million tons for 2004

Port of Rotterdam sees 350 million tons for 2004    The port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest container port, said cargo throughput for 2004 totaled 354 million tons, an 8 percent increase over 2003. According to the port this is the largest increase in annual growth since 1979 when a 11 percent rise was recorded.
   The port recorded a 16 percent increase in container throughput from 7.1 million TEUs in 2003, to 8.2 million TEUs in the last year. Increases were also witnessed in the transshipment of coal (up 7 percent), ores and scrap (5 percent), other dry bulk cargo (10 percent), crude oil (4 percent), oil products (22 percent), roll on/roll off (5 percent), and other general cargo (7 percent).
   Total cargo imports increased 7 percent to 273 million tons, while exports increased by 12 percent to 81 million tons.
   The port said China has replaced the United States as the second-largest country, behind the United Kingdom, moving containers to and from Rotterdam. The port also reported a 40 percent increase in container movement between Brazil and Rotterdam.