The port handled 14.51 million TEUs and had a total throughput of 469 million tons, both of which were record highs.
The Port of Rotterdam announced it handled a port record 14.51 million TEUs in 2018, which was a 5.7 percent increase over its 2017 results.
Incoming box volume grew by 6.2 percent to 7.57 million TEUs and outgoing box volume increased 5.1 percent to 6.94 million TEUs.
Container transhipment experienced a 4.5 percent jump in volume to 149.11 million tons. Incoming container transshipment totaled 76.6 million tons, which was a 6.5 percent growth over 2017. Transshipment outgoing totals, however, grew 2.6 percent to 72.51 million tons.
“A key factor in the increase in 2018 was the growth in numbers of transshipment and full import containers,” the Port of Rotterdam said Thursday in a statement. “Container exports developed less strongly, partly due to Chinese import restrictions on waste flows. The shortsea segment suffered from slowdowns in the British and Russian economies.”
Overall, the port reported a record 469 million tons of throughput in 2018, which was a slight .3 percent increase over its record total from 2017. But the port experienced a 3.2 percent drop in its dry bulk throughput and a 1.1 percent decrease in its liquid bulk throughput.
Coal was the only dry bulk to increase in total throughput, growing 2.3 percent to 26.36 million tons. Agribulk fell 11.6 percent overall, including a 13.6 percent drop in incoming shipments, to 9.85 million tons. Iron ore and scrap decreased by 3.6 percent to 30.06 million and other dry bulk fell to 11.35 million tons, which was a 6.3 percent decrease.
Outside of LNG, which surged by 163.6 percent to 5.23 million tons, the Port of Rotterdam’s other three liquid bulk subcategories reported decreases. Crude oil fell by 3.7 percent (100.3 million tons), mineral oil products dropped 1.9 percent (77.67 million tons) and other liquid bulk decreased by .9 percent (28.64 million tons).
Breakbulk experienced a small .5 percent increase to 30.42 million tons. RoRo transshipment grew by 1.1 percent to 24.06 million tons, but other general cargo decreased by 1.5 percent to 6.35 million tons.
“The Port Authority expects throughput volume to increase slightly in 2019, with container sector growth being lower than the exceptional levels seen in previous years,” the Port of Rotterdam said in the statement.
Rotterdam reports record-breaking 2018 throughput
