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More oil and coal drive Rotterdam port throughput

Throughput grew slightly in the first nine months, while several cargo flows declined.

The port of Rotterdam handled 323.2 million tonnes of cargo in the first nine months of 2026, 0.9 per cent more than a year earlier. The figures published on Friday show growth in oil and coal, alongside declines in categories including agricultural bulk and containers measured by weight.

The modest growth in the total conceals clear differences between cargo flows. According to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, throughput increased particularly in coal, crude oil, mineral oil products and other dry bulk cargo. Several other categories, by contrast, lost volume. The figures cover January to September, compared with the same months of 2025. They therefore represent neither a growth rate for the third quarter alone nor a forecast for the full year.

Coal throughput increased by 15.3 per cent during that period. Based on the port figures, ANP reports that the recovery in throughput of coking coal for European steel production is a particular factor. That flow was at an exceptionally low level last year. Demand for coal for electricity generation also increased, partly because of high gas prices, according to the port authority. The comparison with last year's low throughput is therefore important when interpreting the growth figure.

Meanwhile, greater activity in the steel industry did not mean that all associated raw material flows increased. Transport of iron ore and scrap metal lagged behind. According to the port authority's explanation, low river levels hampered supplies and transport costs rose, prompting steel producers to make greater use of existing stocks. ANP describes the same relationship. That explanation comes from the port authority; the throughput figures themselves measure how much cargo passes through the port, rather than directly measuring how much steel factories produce.

In oil, the port authority sees a shift in processing and trade. Crude oil throughput rose by 2.1 per cent and mineral oil products by 11.1 per cent. According to the accompanying explanation, European refineries began processing more crude oil because the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affected supplies of oil products from the Middle East. ANP also reports that higher refining margins are supporting imports, processing and subsequent exports.

For containers, too, the chosen measure makes a difference. Transport Online reports growth of 0.1 per cent measured in TEU, the usual measure of container capacity, against a decline of 2.2 per cent in tonnage. At the same time, container transport to and from the European hinterland grew by 7.2 per cent. Imports of full containers increased more strongly than exports. According to the reporting, this was accompanied by more transport of empty containers.

The results thus present a mixed picture for carriers and shippers. A higher total volume does not mean that every market is growing or that connections are operating without bottlenecks. Port executive Boudewijn Siemons uses the new figures to underline the importance of reliable road, water and rail connections. His call for continued investment in them is the port authority's policy conclusion; the published volumes primarily show how widely trends vary between cargo flows.

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