Connect with us

Maritime

Port of Rotterdam throughput amounted to 469.4 million tonnes in 2019

Published

4 years ago

on

Port of Rotterdam throughput amounted to 469.4 million tonnes in 2019. Image: Port of Rotterdam
Listen to the story (FreightComms AudioPost)

The Port of Rotterdam saw a freight throughput of 469.4 million tonnes in 2019, fractionally higher than in 2018 (469 million tonnes). Investments by the Port of Rotterdam Authority were again at a high level, with gross investments including participations amounting to €338.3 million (2018: €408.1 million). The net result excluding taxes amounted to €241 million (2018: €254.1 million).

Read the 2019 throughput

Significant underlying shifts were observable between the various commodities. Whereas crude oil, container, LNG and biomass throughputs increased, coal and mineral oil product throughputs decreased. Over the past year significant progress has been made with digitisation and the energy transition, in particular through the launch of PortXchange, the proposed expansion of the heat supply network, and the agreement between the Port Authority and various companies to work towards the capture, transport and storage of CO₂.

Allard Castelein, the Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO: ‘The Port of Rotterdam has matched the transhipment volume recorded in 2018. Of course, we are working hard to further increase our leading position and are investing heavily to achieve this. However, the success of a modern port cannot be measured by throughput tonnage alone. Our customers no longer just want increased throughput capacity, but demand a better, faster and, above all, smarter port. Equally crucial for the future is that industry succeeds in accelerating the energy transition so that the Port of Rotterdam can make a real impact towards achieving the Dutch climate objectives. To help make this happen we need a decisive and proactive government that works together with the business community.’

Liquid bulk

Total throughput of liquid bulk in 2019 (211.2 million tonnes) was almost the same as in 2018 (211.8 million tonnes). Within this segment, crude oil throughput exceeded 100 million tonnes for the fifth consecutive year and increased by 3.9%. Investments in recent years have expanded the production capacity of refineries either located in Rotterdam or connected to Rotterdam, leading to an increase in the amount of crude oil refined in 2019. Crude oil stocks have also grown in recent months.

The throughput of mineral oil products fell as a result of lower imports and exports of fuel oil. This downward trend over the past few years intensified in 2019 as a result of tightened global emission regulations for shipping that came into effect on 1 January 2020.

The increase in LGN throughput was mainly due to the import of a greater proportion of the gas produced around the Atlantic ocean into Europe, instead of being exported to Asia. The increase in other liquid bulk is accounted for by the import and export of biofuels, particularly biodiesel.

Dry bulk

Dry bulk throughput decreased by 4% to 74.5 million tonnes (2018: 77.6 million tonnes). The fall in coal throughput was considerable (-14.8%). The share of coal in Dutch and German power generation has decreased significantly as both countries are generating more power from solar, wind and gas. Throughput of coking coal also came under pressure as a consequence of declining steel production in Germany. The annual iron ore and scrap throughput remained almost the same as in 2018. This is a good result considering the reduction in steel production in Germany. Biomass throughput increased by 62.8%, mainly due to the import of wood pellets for co-firing in coal-fired power plants.

Containers

Following a good start in the first six months of 2019, growth in container transhipment was almost negligible during the second six months of the year. Container throughput measured in tonnes grew by 2.5%. Measured in TEUs, the standard unit for containers, the increase was 2.1% and the annual total was 14.8 million TEUs. Economic growth in the EU declined somewhat, particularly as a consequence of reduced industrial production in Germany. Moreover, as a consequence of declining production and decreased growth in world trade, shipments from Asia were cancelled in November and December. The shortsea segment also experienced the effects of lower economic growth as well as competition with other ports.

Roll on/roll off and other breakbulk

RoRo transhipment increased slightly in 2019 (+0.8%) despite the uncertainties surrounding Brexit. There were, however, significant fluctuations throughout the year, with throughput peaks as a result of stock build-up in the run-up to the proposed Brexit dates of 31 March and 31 October.

Annual throughput of other breakbulk increased by 2.9% as a result of an increase in extra cargo packages. Nevertheless, a decline in throughput was observable in the fourth quarter as a consequence of flagging German exports.

Port Authority’s financial results

The Port of Rotterdam Authority recorded a turnover of €706.6 million in 2019 (2018: €707.2 million). On the income side, port dues showed a slight increase and lease returns fell slightly. The net result excluding taxes amounted to €241 million (2018: €254.1 million).

Investments made by the Port of Rotterdam Authority in 2019 were yet again at a high level. Gross investments including participations amounted to €338.3 million (2018: €408.1 million). Major investment projects included the construction of the Container Exchange Route (CER) on Maasvlakte, the rerouting of part of the Port Rail line via the Theemsweg route, and the construction of new quay walls for the Hartel Tank Terminal.

Site lease charges, the largest revenue item, decreased by 2.2% to €365.5 million. This decrease reflects a one-off gain in 2018 as a consequence of a price revision with retroactive effect.
Income from port dues paid by vessels when they call at the port increased by 0.6% to €304.3 million, due to a positive price effect.

Other income came to €36.7 million (2018: €31.1 million). This increase is the consequence of increases in returns from silt storage for third parties and from sand sales. Operating expenses rose by 2.0% to €273.2 million, mainly due to an increase in labour costs resulting from collective wage rises and the new senior staff scheme. By contrast, operating expenses fell. Depreciation costs increased as a result of the relatively high investment levels in previous years.

In line with existing agreements, the Port Authority proposes that for 2019 an amount of €98.5 million (40%) be paid in dividend to the shareholders: the City of Rotterdam (70.83% / €69.8 million) and the State of the Netherlands (29.17% / €28.7 million).

Energy transition

Progress has again been made over the past year with the phased redesign of the energy supply system and the stimulation of circular activities in the port, including the following:

  • An agreement has been signed with companies to work in parallel on facilities for the capture, transport and storage of CO₂ (Porthos)
  • Significant progress has been made with the heat network pipeline to Westland and The Hague
  • Black Bear Carbon has established a new production location to produce colourings from old tyres
  • uRecycle® has started construction of a new factory for both the recycling and reuse of batteries
  • The largest wind turbine on Maasvlakte has become operational
  • The shore power trial for coasters on Parkkade

Digitisation

With respect to digitisation, the following achievements can be reported for the book year 2019:

  • Shell and Maersk are launching customers of PortXchange, a separate company established to use the Pronto app to make port calls more efficient and help clients reduce their emissions
  • Track & Trace of containers via the new Boxinsider app
  • PortBase ensures smooth digital preannouncement of customs declarations, also after Brexit
  • Digital declarations of port dues via the PortAbillity app
  • Improved efficiency from electronic bunkering notifications via the TimeToBunker App

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Maritime

The Port of Valencia begins electrification of its docks

Published

9 months ago

on

August 11, 2023

By

The Port of Valencia begins electrification of its docks. Image: Port Authority of Valencia
The Port of Valencia begins electrification of its docks. Image: Port Authority of Valencia
Listen to the story (FreightComms AudioPost)

 

A new step in the decarbonisation of the Port of Valencia and its firm commitment to be an emission neutral site by 2030. The Port Authority of Valencia (APV) has put out to tender the drafting and execution of the works for the electrical connection to ships for the Transversal Costa-MSC quay. This is the first electrification or Onshore Power Supply (OPS) project to be carried out by Valenciaport in the Valencian precinct.

The APV is thus initiating the procedure for the award of the contract for the drafting and execution of the project for the installation of electrical connections for ships and the maintenance of the same at the Transversal de Costa quay. To this end, Valenciaport has jointly launched the drafting of the construction project, the execution of its works and the maintenance of the installations in the same procedure for an amount of 12,468,626.8 euros (VAT included).

Onshore Power Supply (OPS) electrification infrastructures have been consolidated as a very useful tool for the decarbonisation of ports, as this system avoids the use of auxiliary engines of ships when they are docked in the enclosures. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions – due to the use of electricity that eliminates the consumption of fossil fuels used in these auxiliary engines – and stops the emission of particles and polluting gases.

This OPS initiative in the Port of Valencia will be carried out in parallel with the works on the new electrical substation – a second substation is also planned – which was put out to tender last month with a base budget of around 11 million euros and a completion period of 24 months. This infrastructure will be responsible for supplying green energy to the first OPS electrification project of the Transversal de Costa-MSC quay.

In this regard, Joan Calabuig, president of Valenciaport, stressed that “these are just two examples of real projects in the execution phase that confirm the firm commitment that Valenciaport is making to achieve the goal of being a zero-emissions port by 2030, twenty years ahead of the European Green Pact. It is a commitment to sustainability and to the society of our environment that is supported by initiatives such as the electrification of the docks, the use of hydrogen in port operations, the installation of photovoltaic plants or the commitment to intermodality with the railway. We are committed to sustainable growth that reinforces our position as a port of reference in the Mediterranean”.

Project included in the Next Generation Funds

The joint contracting of the preparation of the project and the execution of the corresponding works in the same procedure is carried out in response to the fact that there are no references in Europe compatible with the ISO/IEC/IEEE 80005 standard and in Spain there is currently no previous experience of OPS projects in operation with the characteristics of the pilot project defined by the Port Authority of Valencia. The combination of the individual components required for this type of installation (transformers, protection cells, disconnectors, frequency converters, etc.) with infrastructures for supplying electricity to ships requires specific projects, with technically complex solutions that have to be designed specifically for each location. In addition, and given that the execution of the construction project is subsidised by the European Union’s Next Generation funds and the Spanish Government’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, the joint tender is the only way to meet the established deadlines, since if two separate contracts were launched, the one for the execution of the construction project could not be launched until the one for the drafting of the construction project had been awarded, which would mean that the work would be completed beyond the deadline for the execution of the works to meet the target set by Europe.

Continue Reading

Environment

MOL joins GCMD as impact partner to accelerate decarbonisation

Published

9 months ago

on

August 9, 2023

By

MOL joins GCMD as impact partner to accelerate decarbonisation. Image: Pixabay
MOL joins GCMD as impact partner to accelerate decarbonisation. Image: Pixabay
Listen to the story (FreightComms AudioPost)

 

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation GCMD and MOL announced the signing of a five-year Impact Partnership agreement. On the same day, both parties held a signing ceremony at the GCMD office in Singapore.

Decarbonisation in the maritime industry is a challenge that needs to be achieved through accelerating collaboration and increasing investment by shipping companies, their customers, ports, energy suppliers and public sector actors. As an Impact Partner of GCMD, MOL will utilise its expertise developed over their long history and make various contributions and collaborations through its participation in GCMD’s projects, including providing access to vessels, operating data and evaluation reports so that internal learnings can be shared publicly and used for future trials.

MOL is one of the world’s leaders in the maritime industry and has been leading worldwide discussions on achieving decarbonisation. The carbon budget concept imposes a ceiling to the cumulative amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that can be emitted globally in order to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius by 2050. Intermediate targets to reduce emissions, in addition to a net-zero target, are necessary. While plans are in place to adopt low or zero emissions vessels in the future, it is important to deploy measures to reduce emissions now. Such measures include the use of low-carbon and transition fuels that are available today, and deploying energy savings devices onboard vessels. MOL will bring its extensive capabilities and experience to bear as it joins GCMD and existing partners to accelerate international shipping’s decarbonisation.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, said: “We are proud to have MOL, one of the leading shipowners in Japan, come onboard as an Impact Partner. We are excited to tap on MOL’s track record in developing technical energy efficiency measures to broaden our perspective as we scope an initiative to help increase industry adoption of measures that can increase fuel efficiency of ships.”

Toshiaki Tanaka, Representative Director, Executive Vice President Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer of MOL, said: “We are very pleased to be a partner of one of the most important global coalitions. We will make our biggest effort to contribute and accelerate progress towards the net zero future in maritime industry, together with GCMD and all its partners.”

About the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) was set up on 1 August 2021 as a non-profit organisation. Our strategic partners include the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), BHP, BW Group, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Foundation Det Norske Veritas, Ocean Network Express, Seatrium, bp, Hapag-Lloyd and NYK. Beyond the strategic partners, GCMD has brought on board 15 partners that engage at the centre level, in addition to more than 80 partners that engage at the project level.

Strategically located in Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub and second largest container port, GCMD aims to help the industry eliminate GHG emissions by shaping standards for future fuels, piloting low-carbon solutions in an end-to-end manner under real-world operations conditions, financing first-of-a-kind projects, and fostering collaboration across sectors.

Continue Reading

Container Shipping Lines

Wan Hai Lines establishes its new office in India

Published

9 months ago

on

August 9, 2023

By

Wan Hai Lines establishes its new office in India. Image: Unsplash
Wan Hai Lines establishes its new office in India. Image: Unsplash
Listen to the story (FreightComms AudioPost)

 

Aiming to further enhance service quality and gain a stronger foothold in the Indian sub-continent, Wan Hai Lines has established its India new office in Kolkata in July 2023. Contact details for the new office are as follows: WAN HAI LINES (INDIA) PVT. LTD 3rd Floor, Block C, Apeejay House, 15 Park Street, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700016 TEL: 91-33-4450 4500 According to the 2023 Foreign Trade Policy announced by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s export trade volume will reach 2 trillion US dollars in 2030.

Therefore, benefiting from government policy incentives and the shifting trend of the global supply chain, India’s status in global manufacturing and international trade is increasing, which is conducive to maintaining long-term high economic growth. And the proportion of global exports has increased significantly. In addition, the continuous economic stimulus policy will help revitalize the domestic economy, and domestic demand is expected to increase significantly. Therefore, Wan Hai is optimistic about India’s future import and export situation. And also through the establishment of a new office to improve the overall operating efficiency.

Wan Hai India Kolkata office held a grand opening reception in the evening of 27th July. During the banquet, there were many important customers & guests. The Kolkata Port Authority, Kolkata terminal operators, feeder operators and important local customers were invited to send representatives to attend the meeting to express their blessings to Wan Hai’s opening of the Kolkata market. At present, Wan Hai has six owned offices in India, namely Mumbai, Chennai, Mundra, and Vizag, Delhi and the sixth office Kolkata office. In addition to directly providing river port services, it will also simultaneously strengthen service links between India and neighboring countries, such as Nepal and Bhutan. It is expected to pursue customer first through continuous expansion in the future and sustainable business philosophy.

Continue Reading

Popular

Copyright © 2017-18 | FreightComms | Made with ♥ in Singapore