Rotterdam port reports higher throughput

Rotterdam port reports higher throughput Port of Rotterdam Chief Executive Hans Smits said he is “sticking to our forecast of 4 percent to 5 percent growth, to around 420 million tons” of cargo this year.'
   But, “for 2009 I expect a considerable slowdown in growth,” Smits said.
   “We are actually seeing signs of a change in our fortunes. There is a decline in the transshipment of feed stocks for the metal sector and chemical industry and also less growth in containers and roll on/roll off. This started in the first quarter and is related mainly to the slowdown in the world economy. When growth starts to falter in continental Europe, we are sure to notice that too. This has been delayed, however, and cushioned to some extent by the increased trade contacts with markets that are holding out better.”
   The Port of Rotterdam said it handled 321 million tons of cargo over the first nine months of the year, 6.1 percent more than the same period in 2007.
   Most types of cargo showed increase: agribulk, up 26 percent; other liquid bulk up 16 percent; ores and scrap up 11 percent; coal up 9 percent; crude oil, 7 percent; containers, 6 percent; ro/ro, 2 percent; and mineral oil products, 1 percent. Dry bulk cargo was down 11 percent and other general cargo decreased 15 percent.