Substantial increase in throughput for Port of Rotterdam
07-25-2007 In the first half of 2007, 196 million tonnes of cargo were handled in the port of Rotterdam, 4.2% more than the same period of last year.
Outbound trade was 15.9% up, inbound trade 0.4%. General cargo accounted for virtually all of the growth, up 11.7%, whilst bulk remained more or less static with an increase of 0.9%.
Throughput of mineral oil products (+35%), other dry bulk (+8%), roll on/ roll off (+28%) and containers (+11%) showed a positive trend. Expressed in numbers, container throughput increased by 13% to 5.3 million TEU (20-foot units). Less agribulk (-13%), ores & scrap (-4%) and crude oil (-8%) were imported.
There was no change in the transshipment of other liquid bulk and other general cargo. Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO: "It was a strong six months, with above average growth. This was despite the fall in inbound oil due to a smashed jetty.
The great figures for oil products and containers easily made up for this setback. This compensatory effect is a little less marked in the second half of the year, but I’m still counting on annual results of over 390 million tonnes."
Dry bulk Total dry bulk fell by 6% to 42 million tonnes. Agribulk (grains, seeds, animal feed ingredients) was 1 million tonnes below the 'normal' level of 5 million tonnes. Overseas raw materials, such as soya beans, for mixed feed and oil pressing, are being used more in China or remain in the United States.
These were replaced by grains and rapeseed from Europe. Also, inbound shredded palm fell substantially due to the decline in demand from energy producers. Related to this, traders are unable to put together full ship’s loads and no significant service for part loads calls in Rotterdam.
Because Europe is using more of its own products, this put pressure on outbound trade. Almost 1.5 million tonnes (-11% to just over 12 million) less coal were handled. The main reason for this was the mild winter. In addition, the power plant on the Maasvlakte underwent major repairs and, in anticipation of lower freight charges, people ate into stocks.
In the second half of the year, inbound trade did improve, but still remained below last year’s level. Throughput figures for ores and scrap fell by 4% to close on 19 million tonnes.
Some ships sought an alternative port due to the tugmen’s strike action, but more important was the shortage of certain types of ore, so that stocks had to be eaten into. The increase in outbound trade (+15% to 1.5 million tonnes), particularly scrap, compensated to some extent. Other dry bulk performed better, up almost 8% to over 6 million tonnes.
This mainly involved minerals for the production of glass, paper, steel and the chemical industry. This industry has already been performing extremely well for some years.
About a quarter of the other dry bulk is handled on the buoys. The Port Authority is continuing with its policy of providing space for this wherever possible, e.g. with the redesign of the Caland Canal.
Liquid bulk The total increased by 4% to 91 million tonnes. Inbound crude oil was way down (-8% to 46 million tonnes) in comparison with the corresponding period of last year. Demand for oil products was high and the refinery margins good. These fundamental factors held demand at a high level (around 50 million).
Rotterdam was unable to fully meet this demand, because one of the two MOT unloading jetties was seriously damaged at the beginning of the year.
A new pier will be ready for use in mid-2008. Throughput of oil products was up by almost a third, to 30 million tonnes. This was largely thanks to Rotterdam’s hub function for fuel oil.
At first, the mild winter pushed up supply and put pressure on the price of Russian fuel oil. Later, it was the demand, with high prices in Asia, that drew the products away from relatively cheap Rotterdam. In the past year, 14 VLCCs have taken close on 4 million tonnes of fuel oil on board, four times as much as in the first half of 2006.
The transshipment of other liquid bulk remained static at 15 million tonnes (inbound +1%, outbound -3%). This category covers hundreds of basic chemicals and a few dozen vegetable and animal oils, fats and juices.
After a slow increase during the past five years, there is now evidence that things have stabilised.
General cargo The general cargo sector had a good first six months, with an increase of almost 7 million tonnes (+12%) to 64 million tonnes. Inbound and outbound containers were up, by 13 and 9% respectively.
Expressed in weight, throughput increased by 11% to 51 million tonnes. In numbers, by 13% to 5.3 million TEU (+599,000). The increase is even more marked at the deepsea terminals which operate a lot of services to the Far East.
This limits the handling of feeder and inland shipping and pushes down the total. The strikes by tugmen at the start of this year cost around 2% growth. Roll-on / roll-off was 28% up, to almost 8 million tonnes, due to the opening of the Norfolkline terminal (Vlaardingen) and the addition of Stena Line (Hook of Holland).
Added to this, bigger ships were put into service. The handling of other general cargo was more or less static, at 5 million tonnes. The halving of transport by LASH ship was compensated for by the growth in other sectors, such as paper products and steel. Hyundai, for example, launched a new liner service to China, with steel as the basic cargo.
