In the first quarter of 2021 North Sea Port’s sea freight transhipment amounted to 16.6 million tonnes, the same volume as in the first quarter of 2020. In this way the port is gradually making up the loss caused by the corona crisis, according to the company's release. Imports rose by 2.6% to 12 million tonnes, exports fell by 7.8% to 4.6 million tonnes.
Ro-Ro transport continues to recover strongly. It increased by almost 13% to round 1 million tonnes as compared to the first quarter of 2020 when the corona crisis very much affected the last 2 weeks of March
Dry bulk transhipment reached 8.4 million tonnes, an increase of 1.5%. The growth is mainly due to the transhipment of dry fertilizers and scrap.
General cargo fell by 4.1% to 2.5 million tonnes. Liquid bulk also decreased, by 3.4% to 4.3 million tonnes. In particular, the supply of petroleum fuels and energy gases is declining.
The share of containers decreased by 8.4% to 0.6 million. However, the volume of container transhipment more than doubled in the last three years.
Among the main trade partners, the transhipment of goods with Great Britain continues to register losses (-13.1%).
The total transhipment by inland shipping during the first quarter of this year amounted to 14.2 million tonnes (-7.5%).
January 2021 saw a loss of 2% and February 0,8%, in March there was an increase of 1%. Similar goods transhipments over the next few quarters may well make up for almost half of the 11% loss of corona year 2020 (versus 2019).