SIMIC

"The total volume makes it seem as if it is business as usual in the port," said Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Allard Castelein, "but the big changes, especially with respect to LNG and coal, indicate that the energy landscape has changed dramatically."

There was an 8.6 per cent year-on-year decline in container volumes in total weight and by 4.4 per cent in number of containers in the first nine months.

The growth of LNG volume was very strong (+73.8 per cent). Much more LNG is supplied from the United States and other countries to replace Russian natural gas, which previously was piped to north west Europe.

Container traffic between Russia and Rotterdam also came to a standstill, said the port authority. In the past few years, eight per cent of container traffic was related to Russia.

The difference between tonnes (-8.6 per cent) and TEU (-4.4 per cent) is because proportionally more empty containers found their way via Rotterdam, said the port authority.

There are some underlying major differences, though, especially due to the war in Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia, and the changes in global energy flows, said the report.

"Considerably higher volumes of coal and LNG were imported as alternatives to Russian natural gas. Container transshipment decreased, especially as a result of the loss of trade with Russia," said the report.

Said Mr Castelein: "With the high energy prices the energy-intensive chemical industry in particular is going through hard times. A faster energy transition makes us less dependent on geopolitical developments in the long term."

The throughput of iron and scrap decreased steeply (-17.9 per cent), as did the throughput of agribulk (-14.8).

Coal volume increased (+24.8 per cent), primarily as more coal was used in power plants. Other bulk, such as raw materials and building materials, also increased sharply (+22.6 per cent). The throughput of dry bulk increased by 2.9 per cent in total.

For liquid bulk the increase was 3.9 per cent. The volume of mineral oil products fell (-13.1 per cent), especially due to lower fuel oil supplies from Russia, but other freight volumes increased: more crude oil (+5.4 per cent) and more other liquid bulk (+18.4 per cent) was handled.

All categories in the other liquid section show growth: chemistry, biofuels, vegetable/animal oils and fruit juices.