Port of Rotterdam has increased its container throughput by 2.2% to 3.3 million TEUs in the first quarter of 2025. However, in terms of tonnage, throughput shows a decrease of 1.1% compared to the same period last year.
This difference is caused by an 8.1% decrease in the export of full containers, according to the port’s statement. Export containers are heavier, which means that the average weight per container is lower. The decrease in the number of export containers is a result of the weak market position of the European industry and a decrease in the number of transhipment containers that were transshipped in Rotterdam.
Bad weather in January and operational disruptions at the HPD2 terminal led to fewer ship visits, delays, and lower productivity in the first quarter. The situation improved during the first quarter, and productivity in March was higher than in January and February.
Rotterdam’s throughput on the Transatlantic route fell by 23.1% in the first quarter compared to last year because two services were moved to other ports due to limited capacity at the terminals in Rotterdam. Additionally, throughput from Asia increased by 8.4% in the first quarter due to more consumer products being imported.
In the same period, the total throughput of the Dutch port fell by 5.8%. In the first three months of this year, throughput reached 103.7 million tonnes compared to 110.1 million tonnes in the first quarter of the previous year.
The decline is mainly due to less throughput of crude oil and oil products, iron ore, and coal, while import duties imposed by the United States on goods exported from Europe had yet to have an effect on first-quarter throughput.
Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority, stated: “The first three months of this year were characterized by a high degree of volatility in world trade as a result of threatened import duties in the United States and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. This volatility has led to uncertainty among companies in the areas of trade and investment.”
Siemons went on to add: “We see this reflected in throughput volumes and the willingness to invest. In these uncertain times, it remains as important as ever that, together with national and European governments, the Port of Rotterdam continues to work towards a competitive European investment climate.”
