Bunker demand in Rotterdam is down some 10% year-on-year, according to reports. The energy reporting service Platts quoted sources as saying that demand for marine fuel in other European ports had fallen even more sharply.
According to the news service, the Port of Rotterdam has confirmed that ship traffic through the port dropped by some 8% in the first half of 2009.
The authority was quoted as saying that 16,655 ships passed through the port compared with 18,223 in the same six months last year.
Two weeks ago the port authority published figures showing total cargo throughput had fallen more than 13%, year-on-year, from January through to June.
Exports fell by 4.6% to 54 million metric tonnes (mt) and imports by 16.6% to 131 million mt.
Only the handling of mineral oil products, including fuel oil, showed an increase, up by 17% or 5 million mt to over 35 million mt.
Hans Smits, the Port of Rotterdam's CEO said he expected throughput to stabilise in the second half of the year.
He added: “Despite the slump, our market share is actually increasing. Investment appears to be paying off. That is why we are now benefiting from the strong movements in trade in crude oil and oil products,” he said.
An increase in market share would offer an explanation as to why Rotterdam's bunker demand was proving more resilient than demand in some other European ports.
The port also said that while container throughput had fallen overall in the first six months, down 5% to 4.6 million TEU (twenty foot units), there had been signs of recovery from February onwards “thanks to the rationalisation of services and concentration on Rotterdam”.
According to the news service, the Port of Rotterdam has confirmed that ship traffic through the port dropped by some 8% in the first half of 2009.
The authority was quoted as saying that 16,655 ships passed through the port compared with 18,223 in the same six months last year.
Two weeks ago the port authority published figures showing total cargo throughput had fallen more than 13%, year-on-year, from January through to June.
Exports fell by 4.6% to 54 million metric tonnes (mt) and imports by 16.6% to 131 million mt.
Only the handling of mineral oil products, including fuel oil, showed an increase, up by 17% or 5 million mt to over 35 million mt.
Hans Smits, the Port of Rotterdam's CEO said he expected throughput to stabilise in the second half of the year.
He added: “Despite the slump, our market share is actually increasing. Investment appears to be paying off. That is why we are now benefiting from the strong movements in trade in crude oil and oil products,” he said.
An increase in market share would offer an explanation as to why Rotterdam's bunker demand was proving more resilient than demand in some other European ports.
The port also said that while container throughput had fallen overall in the first six months, down 5% to 4.6 million TEU (twenty foot units), there had been signs of recovery from February onwards “thanks to the rationalisation of services and concentration on Rotterdam”.