With about 108.6 million tons handled, in the third quarter of this year, the traffic of goods in the port of Rotterdam has been almost stable as it has been 109.1 million tonnes of cargo in the corresponding period of 2023. Almost unchanged were both the volumes of goods on landing, which amounted to 76.5 million tons, and those of goods at embarkation, which amounted to 32.4 million tons.

In the miscellaneous goods sector alone, the total traffic of container, amounting to approximately 34.0 million tonnes with a handling of containers equal to 3.6 million TEUs, recorded growth of +1% and +2% respectively over the third quarter of last year, while rolling stock and freight have suffered decreases of -2% and -12%, falling to 6.4 million and 1.4 million tons. Liquid bulk is increased globally by +1% to 50.0 million tonnes, of which 25.1 million tonnes of crude oil (+1%), 13.8 million tonnes of crude oil refined petroleum products (+3%), 2.4 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (-11%) and 8.6 million tonnes of other liquid loads (+3%). In the dry bulk sector, 16.7 million tonnes handled (-7%), including 7.7 million tonnes tons of minerals and scrap (+9%), 3.3 million tons of coal (-41%), 2.7 million tons of agricultural bulk (+13%) and 3.0 million tonnes of other goods (+4%).

In the first nine months of this year, the Dutch port of call handled a total of 328.6 million tonnes, with a slight decrease of -0.4% over the same period of 2023, of which 230.6 million tonnes at landing (-1.1%) and 98.0 million tonnes at landing tons at embarkation (+1.2%). The global figure for goods containerized was 101.1 million tons (+3.0%) and was achieved with a movement of containers equal to 10.4 million TEUs (+2.2%). The rolling stock is amounted to 19.2 million tonnes (-3.5%) and goods conventional to 4.5 million tons (-9.5%). The data total of liquid bulk cargo was 151.5 million tonnes (-1.7%) and that of dry bulk cargo of 52.2 million tonnes tons (-0.9%).

"In recent months - commented the administrator of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Boudewijn Siemons - exchanges global trade has seen signs of recovery. The trust of the has increased and this has translated into a growth in container traffic. The decline in traffic in other segments unfortunately shows that European industry is still struggling with a weakening of the competitive position caused by high energy costs. We continue to face great challenges on the geopolitical scene and in global supply chains. Therefore - concluded Siemons - in the remaining months of this year there will be no We expect major changes in the flow of goods."