Rotterdam port cargo volumes up 0.8 pct in 2011
Rotterdam port, Europe's biggest, said on Thursday its cargo volumes rose 0.8 percent in 2011, setting a new record, and predicted growth would resume in 2013 as the euro zone debt crisis is expected to continue to affect trade next year.
Cargo volumes passing through Rotterdam port - a major transit point for commodities and manufactured goods - rose to 433 million tonnes in 2011, from 430 million tonnes in 2010.
"We expect to maintain the current level next year," the port's chief executive, Hans Smits, said in a statement.
"In the second half of the year, I expect that we will have put the European confidence crisis behind us...We also expect reasonable growth as from 2013," he said.
Throughput of iron ore and scrap fell 6 percent, crude oil fell 8 percent while agricultural bulk rose 18 percent.
Cargo volumes passing through Rotterdam port - a major transit point for commodities and manufactured goods - rose to 433 million tonnes in 2011, from 430 million tonnes in 2010.
"We expect to maintain the current level next year," the port's chief executive, Hans Smits, said in a statement.
"In the second half of the year, I expect that we will have put the European confidence crisis behind us...We also expect reasonable growth as from 2013," he said.
Throughput of iron ore and scrap fell 6 percent, crude oil fell 8 percent while agricultural bulk rose 18 percent.