North European ports experience 10.8pc box volumes growth

THE six major North European ports have seen their container throughputs rise 10.8 per cent this year over 2009 despite a decline in the fourth quarter, according to the new Global Port Tracker: North Europe Trade Outlook newsletter.

Global Port Tracker predicts box volume for the full year at Le Havre, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Bremen/Bremerhaven and Hamburg will grow to 36.8 million TEU, some 14.95 million TEU of which will be inbound, rising 10.8 per cent year on year and 15.75 million TEU will be outbound, up 11.3 per cent, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce. The newsletter forecasts that following a seven per cent decline in the fourth quarter, incoming trade volume will return to growth in 2011, up 0.6 per cent in the first quarter and 7.7 per cent in the second.

Outgoing volume is forecast to decrease in the fourth quarter and the first quarter of 2011, with month to month declines from October until the end of January expected in the 2.5 per cent range.

Northern Europe's 2010 imports are expected to increase 12.1 per cent year on year, said the news letter which also forecasts a seven per cent rise in imports for 2011. Imports to the Mediterranean and Black Sea region are forecast to grow 18.1 per cent in 2010. Exports from all of Europe for 2010 are predicted to rise by 10.2 per cent over the previous year, mainly on the back of 41 per cent anticipated growth in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region.
(Source:www.schednet.com)