Rotterdam container volumes stay flat as transhipment falls 20%

The port authority’s 16 October release says long-standing capacity constraints at deep-sea terminals have shifted more transhipment cargo to other ports, freeing space for flows serving the European hinterland.

Hinterland container volume rose 7.2%, supported by an 8.9% increase in full-container imports. Full-container exports grew 1%; the imbalance also increased empty-container movements. These measures describe container traffic, not pallet counts.

Across all cargo types, throughput reached 323.2 million tonnes, up 0.9%, principally supported by bulk commodities. The mixed picture matters to importers, exporters and palletised-goods distributors planning gateway and inland connections; it is not evidence of uniform growth across freight sectors. Image: the port authority’s original release photograph of the Botlek industrial area.