Port of Rotterdam Remains Resilient in an Uncertain World, Throughput Sees Marginal Rise

Chennai:

Port Wings News Network:

Total throughput at the port of Rotterdam rose by 0.4% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This brought total throughput to 212.0 million tonnes.

The dry bulk segment rose by 1.7%. The throughput of liquid bulk also increased by 2.4%. There was a dip in throughput in the container and breakbulk segments. Container throughput fell by 0.1% TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) or 2.6% tonnes. Breakbulk fell by 1.1%. The previous six months were defined by much uncertainty.

Although the port of Rotterdam continued to operate resiliently due to its scale, infrastructure and diversity of freight flows, the developments demonstrated the importance of investments in energy security, sustainable alternatives and the flexibility of supply chains. Financially, the first half of the year was stable with a net result of 144.8 million euros. The Port of Rotterdam Authority’s investments totalled 126.0 million euros in the first six months.

Commenting on the performance, Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, said: “The war in the Persian Gulf has drastic humanitarian consequences for people in the region. In addition, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz makes it clear how closely connected global trade and energy flows are. Although direct impact on the operations and throughput in the port of Rotterdam has so far been limited, the higher energy prices and increasing uncertainty has rocked the international market. The events highlight the importance of robust supply chains and a strong European energy infrastructure. The port of Rotterdam has proved itself to be resilient and reliable in the face of challenging circumstances. That’s not only crucial for the position of the port but also for the resilience of the Netherlands and Europe.”

Investments and financials

The Port of Rotterdam Authority has had a stable financial half-year. The Port Authority’s revenues rose by 3.2% to 477.0 million euros. Both contract revenues and port dues have risen, mainly as a result of indexation.

Operating expenses increased by 10.9 million euros to 178.2 million euros. In this case, this is also primarily related to price increases of contracts due to pre-agreed indexation and pay rises as a result of the CBA change in 2025. In addition, there is a one-time restructuring expense.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 1.3% to 298.8 million euros. This amount is the yardstick for the Port Authority’s capacity to continue investing in the development of the port industrial complex through its own balance sheet. Net income rose by 0.9% and 1.2 million euros to 144.8 million euros.

The Port Authority invested 126.0 million euros in the first half of 2026. That is 7% less than in the same period last year. This is mainly because more capital was injected into Porthos in 2025 than in 2026.

Throughput

Dry bulk

The throughput of dry bulk rose by 1.7% in the first half of 2026. The throughput of iron ore and scrap decreased by 8.3%. Iron ore throughput fell by 9.6% in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year. Although German steel production increased, this did not lead to higher throughput volumes, as steel producers drew on their existing stocks. Scrap throughput rose by 6.1% in the first half of 2026, mainly due to growth in electric steel production in key markets outside the EU. Egypt, in particular, was an important export market.

Coal throughput increased by 17.8% in the first half of 2026. The increase is mainly attributable to a recovery in the throughput of coking coal from the exceptionally low level recorded in 2025. In addition, thermal coal throughput was higher than the previous year, partially due to the relatively high gas prices caused by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

In the first half of 2026, agribulk throughput was 14.2% lower than a year earlier, totalling approximately 4.9 million tonnes. This decline follows an exceptionally strong 2025 and reflects, among other things, reduced import demand due to the greater availability of agribulk in Europe.

The throughput of other dry bulk increased by 18.5% in the first six months. This growth was largely due to the recovery of construction sector activities in the Netherlands. This led to a higher demand for raw materials for construction projects. In addition, stockpiling and shifts in trade flows resulted in additional volumes.

Liquid bulk

Liquid bulk throughput increased by 2.4% in the first six months. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused prices of crude oil and mineral oil products to rise, leading to higher refining margins. As a result of these high refining margins, and in order to compensate for the loss of oil product imports, European refineries have started to import and process more crude oil. These factors have caused a 1.6% increase in crude oil throughput. The throughput of oil products increased by 11.5% to 25 million tonnes. Imports dropped by 9% and exports rose by 36%. Exports increased due to greater exports of fuel oil to Singapore and gas oil to Gibraltar and Spain.  The latter is related to the introduction of the Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Mediterranean Sea last year. In this area, only bunker fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1% can be used, which has led to increased demand for marine gas oil.

The throughput of LNG increased by 1.7% to 6.4 million tonnes due to less imports. Exports increased, mainly due to greater use of LNG as a marine fuel.

The throughput of other liquid bulk fell by 5.9%. This is mainly due to a significant decline in the throughput of chemical products. The chemical industry in Europe is still struggling due to high energy prices, lack of demand and heavy competition from outside of Europe. In almost all of Europe, chemical production is lower than last year, which means there is less demand for raw materials and lower exports of end products.

Containers and breakbulk

Container throughput showed a decrease of 0.1% in TEU, which is comparable to last year. In terms of tonnage, throughput decreased by 2.6% to 98.5 million tonnes. The deepsea volume grew by 5.2% in TEU because import volumes from Asia rose by 8%. Exports of full containers decreased by 1%. This created a further imbalance and the throughput in tonnage fell more significantly than in TEU. Throughput to and from North America increased by 13% due to an increase in a number of services. The transhipment volume decreased by 20% due to a lack of capacity in Rotterdam. As a result, overall there was no growth in container throughput in the first half of the year. From the end of this year, extra capacity will be made available at several container terminals, meaning there will once again be room for growth in the container sector in Rotterdam.

Direct container traffic to and from countries on the Persian Gulf accounts for 1% of the total container volume. Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, new routes were established fairly quickly via ports not situated on the Persian Gulf. The negative consequences for the port of Rotterdam have therefore been limited.

RoRo throughput increased by 1% to 13 million tonnes. This is the result of an increase in demand for goods in the United Kingdom. Other breakbulk fell by 9.5% as a result of stagnation in the European manufacturing industry, particularly in the machinery and automotive sectors. Aluminium throughput, in particular, is lower than usual. The tougher sanctions on Russian cargo are also having an impact.

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