Growth for Port of Amsterdam in the first quarter of 2009

27 April 2009

Despite the current economic slump the Port of Amsterdam managed to grow by 7% in the first three months of this year. The growth mainly results from increasing transhipment of energy and related products.

Total transhipment at the Port of Amsterdam increased from 18 million to 19.3 million tons (7%). Supply increased by 4.5% while transport increased by a comfortable 10%.

‘Liquid bulk’ transhipment (all liquid materials) increased by more than 30% to 9.7 million tons. The rise is mainly the result of increasing transhipment of oil products by more than 31% to touch 9 million tons. The strong rise follows from investments made in 2008.

Total ‘dry bulk’ transhipment declined in the first three months of this year by 7.1% down to 8.3 million tons. The transhipment of agricultural products went down by 15.8% to 1.9 million tons. Transhipment of products such as grains, oil seeds and artificial fertiliser also declined. A better harvest in Europe has meant less import.

Coal transhipment, however, increased by 5.5% to 4.4 million tons. This rise has been the result of continuous demand for energy coal from the German market.

Container transhipment went down by 28% to 0.7 million tons. Expressed in TEU (twenty feet equivalent) decline amounted to -17.5% (to 82723 TEU). This is in line with reduced export from Asia.

Transhipment declined within the region as a whole. This mainly follows from the strongly diminished production at Corus as a result of the economic crisis.

For the entire year the Port of Amsterdam expects the same volume as in the previous year. It remains to be seen how long the rise of energy-related products will hold out.

Alderman Ossel is pleased with the increased transhipment the Port of Amsterdam managed to book in the first quarter of this year. This growth confirms the need for a new lock. Mr. Ossel also emphasises the significance of the district council’s efforts to realise a new sea lock.

Port of Amsterdam, press release