While in Belgium, the Port of Antwerp reduced its cargo dues substantially in 2010 for break-bulk vessels that were discharging and/or loading break-bulk cargo in the port. Since harbour and cargo dues will not be increased in 2011, this important reduction remains in place and will contribute to its success for the coming year.
Antwerp
Last year, the port of Antwerp handled a total of 8.5 million TEU – a 16.1% increase compared to the 2009 – securing its position as the number 2 European container port for the second year running. The Belgian port, which has room for further container-handling growth on its left bank Deurganck dock, is also second place in terms of total tonnages across all trades at 178 million tonnes, a rise of 13% compared to 2009.
Construction will also start soon on a much needed second dock on the left bank of the port, while negotiations will continue with dockers to implement flexible working for the general cargo trades.
At the beginning of December 2010 the Unions and employer’s association (CEPA) signed an important agreement with the Antwerp Port Authority that came into force on January 1st, 2011. This agreement will strengthen the position of Antwerp as it is a massive step forward in the modernisation of dock labour. Thanks to this accord the port of Antwerp will have a substantially improved position for break-bulk coaster traffic. By the same token the port will also boost its status as a trans-shipment hub for break-bulk cargo, thanks to the combination of regular deep-sea liner services with more and regular coaster opportunities.
Towards the end of 2010 Antwerp also completed the River Scheldt dredging works in Dutch waters – a process that has taken more than 10 years of negotiations with the Dutch Government. The deepening works will provide access for 13,000+ TEU container vessels to enter the second largest container port in Europe.
Zeebrugge
Staying in Belgium but heading further to the south, the Port of Zeebrugge has a new PSA container terminal coming on stream and is already looking at further expansion of its car and ro-ro facilities. It is also considering increasing container capacity by reclaiming more land from the sea – similar to the Maasvlakte II project in Rotterdam. In 2010, Zeebrugge saw total cargo throughput grow by 11% to a volume of 49.8 million tonnes. Interestingly, the port reports that – as a result of a strong rise in Ro-ro traffic and recovery of traffic of new cars – it gained ground in all port sectors. Ro-ro traffic not only recovered but it also grew by 30.9% compared to 2009 to a volume of 12.45 million tonnes. Compared to 2008 this reflects a growth of 5.4%. Last year, it also witnessed a slow recovery of the car industry as it handled a total of 1.6 million new cars. Although the port expects it will need another 2 to 3 years to recover from the global economic downturn it recorded an increase of 24.8% compared to 2009. Container traffic in general rose by 7.4% to a record volume of 2.5 million TEU. In 2010 the container industry was growing until August, in comparison to 2009. The services of CMA CGM largely contributed to these results. At the beginning of December the terminal of CHZ/PSA handled its one millionth TEU of the year. As from the second half of the year growth of container traffic weakened as Zeebrugge was affected by the discontinuation of TNWA/SCX and interruption Maersk Line AE9.
Ghent
In the meantime, the Port of Ghent is not sitting on its laurels but is working hard to bring some new customers to the port. Although limited by its expansion possibilities it signed up some new clients last year. At the end of 2010, Duval Terminal Services, part of the German Solvadis, was signed up by Ghent Port Company to establish itself at the north side of the Kluizen dock, on a site of over 22,000m² and over 125m of quay. Duval plans the construction of a sulphur terminal, storage possibilities and an office building. An annual traffic of at least 200,000 tonnes by seagoing vessels is forecast. Every year, around 40 million tonnes of cargo is handled in Ghent. Two thirds of this is transported on-board of seagoing vessels. Those vessels mainly import and export ores and metal residues, foodstuffs, animal feed, fossil and bio-fuels, wood and forest products, building raw materials, chemicals, minerals and cars. An important part of the seagoing traffic that calls at the port of Ghent is traffic between European ports; there is a major liner service between Ghent and Santos in Brazil. Inland navigation takes up the remaining third. Notably petroleum products, building materials, fuels and grain are increasingly transported by inland waterways. In the coming years, Ghent will further invest in the development and upgrading of the docks. For the 2010–2014-period it plans some heavy-weight investments in the port area. The port infrastructure will be further developed for a total amount of over Euro 10 million. At the Kluizen dock further dredging works will be completed along the quays at the canal side. Also the quay will be extended and a new quay will be constructed for inland navigation (2013-2014). At the Rodenhuize dock, the construction of a new quay at the northern side will start (scheduled for 2014). Consequently, vessels will also be able to moor at that side of the dock. The Rieme-North industrial site, managed by Ghent Port Company, will be fitted out with the necessary roads, sewerage and public utilities and will be further developed into a ‘dry port’. This dry port will be available in the coming years for storage and distribution activities.
Rotterdam
In the Netherlands, the mega port of Rotterdam continues to tighten its grip on European container flows as its Maasvlakte II project is slowly but surely taking shape as it rises out of the sea, with the first phase opening for business in 2013 and a final phase capacity of 17 million TEU by 2030. Last year, cargo throughput in the port of Rotterdam rose to 430 million tonnes. This is 11.1% more than in 2009 and 2.1% more than in the previous record year 2008. Imports increased by 12% to 306 million tonnes, while exports rose by 9% to 124 million tonnes. Bulk was up by 11%, likewise containers/break bulk. Coal throughput fell by almost 2% while agri-bulk remained stable and other types of cargo showing an increase. “This result is above expectations. Throughput was particularly stimulated by the 15% growth in world trade and the flourishing German economy. In 2011, government cutbacks will be more strongly felt throughout Europe. On the other hand, Rotterdam will continue to feel the heartbeat of the world economy. I am therefore cautiously optimistic about throughput which I expect to grow by 2 to 3% to around 440 million tonnes,” said Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO. Total throughput of dry bulk cargo increased by almost 28% to 85 million tonnes. Although coal remain a growth product as a result of the mine closures in Germany, throughput fell by 1.7% to 24 million tonnes. Steam coal consumption decreased as a result of a decline in energy demand due to the economic downturn and low natural gas prices. Container throughput improved by almost 12% in comparison with 2009 and at 112 million tonnes was once again the most important cargo category in Rotterdam. Growth in TEU was back to “normal” increases last year (Rotterdam is also an empty container hub): up 14% to 11.1 million TEU. Trans-shipment of cargo heading for the Baltic region also did well. Other trans-shipment regions are declining: the UK/Ireland as a result of competition from the English ports, while Spain/Portugal is showing a geographic shift. However, throughput of intra-European containers, ‘short sea’, to these regions is increasing once again: a small increase to the UK, a substantial increase to the Iberian Peninsula and a very strong increase to Russia.
Amsterdam
Battling to get a share of the traffic coming to the Netherlands, the Amsterdam Seaport area is aiming to become one of the world’s key international logistics hubs. It ranks as Europe’s number four port and handles a little over 90 million metric tonnes of cargo annually. The Amsterdam port has facilities for handling, storing and trans-shipping all types of goods – from cocoa beans to coal and from paper to oil. Not only are various goods handled, stored and trans-shipped in the Port of Amsterdam, a quantity of the commodities is also processed in the port area. At the beginning of the year, Amsterdam Seaports (comprising the ports of the North Sea Canal region) reported a 4% increase in trans-shipment for 2010 – worth approximately 90 million tonnes. Like any other port this increase might reflect a recovery from the global economic downturn compared to 2009 although the Amsterdam port alone witnessed a strong recovery in the last months of last year. In 2010, trans-shipment in Amsterdam port declined slightly by 1% to approximately 72.5 million tonnes compared to 2009. After a 7.1% drop in the first six months, the second half of the year compensated the drop by showing a strong 5% recovery. Total trans-shipment thus almost reached the 2009 level. In IJmuiden, the location of one of the ArcelorMittal steelmill in Europe, trans-shipment increased by 30% reaching 17 million tonnes, particularly due to the intensified demand for steel. In Zaanstad trans-shipment stabilised compared to last year, while Beverwijk witnessed an increase.
“Despite the economic crisis, the Amsterdam port region managed to book good results registering a 4% increase. Trans-shipment decline was no more than 1%, which is tiny. Last year our port was the fourth port of North West Europe following Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg. I am very proud of this,” said Dertje Meijer, Port of Amsterdam’s President and CEO. Recovery is also visible in the iron ore trans-shipment. The same applies to agricultural bulk, sand, gravel and minerals. Roll-on/Roll-off trans-shipment recovered strongly this year, while general cargo and container trans-shipment declined. In total the Amsterdam port processed no more than 1 million tonnes of container cargo in 2010. Obtaining detailed figures on container throughput for the Amsterdam Container Terminals operated by international terminal operator HPH Port Holdings seems to be very difficult. There are direct connections with the hinterland through the ‘Betuweroute’ (rail) and Amsterdam-Rhine canal (inland waterway), which makes the port of Amsterdam easy to reach and ensures excellent connections to all the major European markets through deep sea, short sea, inland shipping, rail and road. As reported in last years’ January/February issue Amsterdam Seaports is hampered by the size of its locks in IJmuiden. Together with the Dutch government, Province of Noord-Holland and the City of Amsterdam the port of Amsterdam is in agreement about the funding of a large new sea lock whose purpose is to simplify access to the Amsterdam port region. On 27 November 2009 a covenant was signed to this effect. Under the terms of the covenant, the new lock will be operational in 2016, but questions remain if the new larger locks would beneficial to Amsterdam Port itself as there are several tunnels under the North Sea Canal, which could cause ‘depth’ access problems for larger vessels. Rail facilities within the port area are being constructed and expanded. New rail yards are being built at numerous places within the port and connected to the main railway network.
Zeeland
One port that is optimistic for the coming year is Zeeland Seaports. The port had a good 2010 as it saw a 15% increase on cargo volumes compared to 2009 handling a total of 33 million tonnes. Imports grew from 21 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes, and exports from 7.6 million tonnes to 7.9 million tonnes. But that is not the only good news – the Dutch port which will be privatised as it entered 2011, had revenues of Euro 46 million and made a profit of Euro 6 million. “With the pending privatisation of Zeeland Seaports and with all the plans we and the companies in the port have, we will be entering 2011 full of confidence and we should, at all events, be able to achieve the same results as those for 2010,” said Managing Director Hans van der Hart.