The container turnover of Europe’s largest container port, Rotterdam, which handles about a third of all containers handled through North European hubs, was 3.2 million TEUs in the first three months of 2023, down 11.6% from a year earlier and 13.5% from the pre-coronavirus crisis year (2019).
The Port Authority’s report attributes the decrease in container turnover to an almost complete termination of container trade with Russia, which reduced the port’s handling volumes by 8%, and a sharp decrease in delivery demand on routes in trade with Asia (-14%).
Rotterdam’s main competitor, the port of Antwerp, has reduced container turnover for the first three months by 5.7% YoY to 3.1 million TEU, according to a published port report.