October 24 - Although the Port of Rotterdam posted a 2 percent year-on-year drop in breakbulk cargo throughput during the first nine months of 2016, volumes improved in September due to an increase in steel and monopiles destined for offshore wind farms i
Overall cargo throughput at the Dutch port fell by 1.9 percent in the first nine months compared with the same period of 2015, with the decrease particularly strong in the coal and iron ore business.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority's ceo, Allard Castelein, stated that the port hopes to get near the total throughput achieved in 2015 at the end of this year, despite the reported decrease.
"Throughput figures only tell part of the story. For example, companies in the offshore sector are currently under pressure, and a number of businesses in the region recently announced large-scale layoffs."
Dry bulk volumes handled in the reporting period fell by 7.8 percent to 60.3 million tonnes, with the port alluding to growing pressure on the German steel industry.
Meanwhile, the port's ro-ro business increased by 1.1 percent year-on-year with the impact of Brexit not yet being felt on the Rotterdam-UK trade lane.
