Throughput in the port of Rotterdam remains stable, with a slight decline of 0.7% in Port News 23/04/2026 Throughput at the port of Rotterdam fell slightly by 0.7% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year. Throughput in the first three months of this year stood at 103.0 million tonnes, compared with 103.7 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2025. The decline is mainly due to a reduction in the throughput of agribulk, coal, other liquid bulk and breakbulk. The throughput of iron ore and scrap metal, other dry bulk, crude oil, mineral oil products, LNG and containers (TEU) increased. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted the global energy system. Rotterdam was dependent on countries in the Persian Gulf for 10% of its crude oil throughput and 14% of its oil product throughput. The impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on throughput in Rotterdam is barely visible in the first-quarter figures. Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority: “Throughput at the port of Rotterdam remained largely stable in the first quarter of 2026, despite growing geopolitical tensions. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz highlights just how vulnerable global energy flows are; the effects of this were only marginally apparent in the first quarter and may become more pronounced in the second quarter. At the same time, the growth in oil, oil products and containers shows that Rotterdam remains resilient as a European energy and logistics hub.” Dry bulk In the first quarter, throughput in the dry bulk segment fell by 4.3%. The biggest decline (20.9%) was in the throughput of agribulk. This decline is largely a return to normal levels, as last year saw a temporary increase in volumes shipped via Rotterdam. Coal throughput fell by 9.8% compared with the first quarter of 2025. This was mainly due to a decline in the throughput of energy coal following exceptionally high production levels in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, production returned to its usual level. The volume of iron ore and scrap metal throughput increased by 5.3% compared with last year. This growth is in line with the slight upturn in German steel production in the first quarter. German electrosteel production rose by 2.5% in early 2026. Scrap exports via Rotterdam were slightly lower. The throughput of other dry bulk also showed an increase, rising by 4.6% compared with 2025. This growth was driven by increased demand for construction and industrial raw materials. Photo: Martens Multimedia Liquid bulk The throughput of liquid bulk rose by 2.2% in the first three months of this year. Crude oil throughput rose by 1.7% to 25.2 million tonnes. Refining margins in January and February were similar to those in 2025. In March, they rose sharply following price increases for crude oil and petroleum products caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in late February. The throughput of mineral oil products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, etc.) is 10.3% higher than in 2025. It is striking that exports of oil products rose whilst imports fell. One possible explanation is that, just as in 2025, most oil products were in backwardation, which provides no incentive for storage. There has also been an increase in exports of gas oil / diesel to Spain and Gibraltar. This may bebecause the Mediterranean is now an Emission Control Area (ECA), where the sulphur content of bunker fuel must not exceed 0.1%. LNG throughput increased by 1.7% compared with