Overall Freight Throughput Falls Amid Global Trade Disruptions
The Port of Rotterdam enjoyed a surge in breakbulk throughput in this year’s first quarter, despite a slump in overall freight volumes as the crisis in Ukraine continued to take a toll on global trade flows.
Rotterdam, billed as the region’s most versatile breakbulk hub, and host for Breakbulk Europe 2022, said total throughput in the breakbulk sector for the three months ending March increased by 19 percent year on year to 8.5 million tonnes.
Roll-on, roll-off throughput climbed by 20 percent to 6.7 million tonnes, helped by high demand from the UK following the end of the Brexit transition period.
Other general cargo volumes rose by 14 percent to 1.7 million tonnes, driven by higher non-ferrous throughput and a shift from container cargo to breakbulk due to rising rates in container shipping.
The rise in breakbulk handling came amid a 1.5 percent fall in overall first-quarter freight throughput to 113.6 million tonnes. Despite a jump in LNG and other liquid and dry bulk volumes, throughput of mineral oil products and iron ore fell by 21 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
Container throughput decreased by 5.3 percent to 35.7 million tonnes.
“Although we started the year exceptionally well, the world was hit by the war in Ukraine in late February. Besides the fact that this conflict is a terrible humanitarian disaster, it led to serious uncertainty in world trade and changes in logistical parameters,” said Allard Castelein, CEO at Port of Rotterdam Authority.
“Although no one can predict how this will unfold, we expect that the developments in Ukraine and the seriously deteriorated relationship between Russia and many other countries will impact throughput volumes for the rest of the year as well.”
According to the port, last year some 62 million tonnes of the nearly 470 million tonnes of throughput was Russia-oriented, with many energy carriers from Russia imported via Rotterdam.
PHOTOS:
Main: Aerial photo of Theemswegtrace, Port of Rotterdam. Credit: Danny CornelissenInsert
Insert: Allard Castelein, CEO at Port of Rotterdam Authority. Credit: Ernst Bode
