Port of Rotterdam Sets Record Throughput in 2015
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Monday, January 18, 2016
The Port of Rotterdam reported record volumes 466.4m tonnes in 2015 boosted by increased oil trade. Goods throughput in Rotterdam increased by a total 4.9%.
“Low oil prices result in high margins for the refineries, so they have large quantities of oil shipped in for refining,” Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Allard Castelein said in a statement, adding that “this not only applies to the refineries in Europe but also to those in Russia. The latter produce a relatively large amount of fuel oil which is shipped to the Far East via Rotterdam.”
As a result of the healthy fuel oil volumes from Russia, as well as increased shipments of gasoil and diesel, oil product throughput at the port increased by 18%.
LNG throughput nearly doubled but remained in absolute terms at 2.3 million mt “still small”, the port said.
Combined all liquid bulk volumes at the Port of Rotterdam were up 10.9% last year and accounted for 48% of total throughput.
Container volumes mirrored figures reported by a number of ports in Asia 0.5% drop in volumes last year 12.2m teu.
Looking to 2016 the port said it aims to match the 2015 throughput figures.
The port is also positioning itself to take advantage of developments in clean energy. “Due to the need to combat climate change, the port is fully committed to energy efficiency as well as the development of renewable energy and bio-based chemistry. Rotterdam already has one of the most energy efficient refining and chemicals clusters and the largest bio-based cluster in the world. It is our ambition to retain our leading position,” Castelein said.