Rotterdam Traffic Grows 8%

In the first half of 2004, 177 million tons of cargo was transhipped in the port of Rotterdam, 8 percent more than the first half of 2003. Outgoing trade increased more noticeably than incoming trade (6.7% and 11.6% respectively) and general cargo grew almost twice as fast (12%) as bulk cargo. Only the amount of coal handled was down (2%) on the first half of last year. The other categories of goods grew: agribulk (+10.6%), ores and scrap (+7.6%), other dry bulk (+6.6%), crude oil (+5.3%), mineral oil products (+13.2%), other liquid bulk (+5.6%), roro (+5.5%), containers (+13.3%) and other general cargo (+7.8%). In numbers, container throughput increased by 12% to 4 million TEU (20-foot units). The prospects for throughput in the second half of the year are good.