Continuing growth in container throughput and digitisation strengthen Port of Rotterdam position

Container throughput continues to grow in Rotterdam. Following a record year in 2018 and a record quarter in 2019, April of this year was the best month ever for the Port of Rotterdam. 13.6 million tonnes of container freight was handled in April 2019. The previous record month was August 2018 (13.2 million tonnes). Measured in TEU, the standard unit for containers, April 2019 was the second-best month ever, with 1.3 million TEU, just a fraction lower than the record month of August 2018.

Rotterdam can accommodate further growth

Rotterdam has expanded to become Europe’s largest container port, partly because of its excellent depth. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is excellently placed to accommodate further expansion in this growth market because:
• there is sufficient available capacity at the deep-sea terminals;
• the port has good hinterland connections via inland shipping, road and rail;
• we are making considerable investments in the physical infrastructure, such as the Container Exchange Route, which enables faster and more cost-efficient exchange of containers between the terminals;
• The Port of Rotterdam Authority is leading in the digital infrastructure with logistics solutions such as Pronto, Navigate, Nextlogic, OnTrack, Box Insider and Deliver. No other port has such a complete digital toolbox as Rotterdam.

Digital transformation selling point during TLM 2019

The Port of Rotterdam Authority is participating in the 2019 Transport & Logistics trade fair in Munich from 4 to 7 June. Digital transformation of port and logistics will be an important ‘selling point’ there for the Port of Rotterdam Authority. We want to create a global network of smart connected ports. This will increase efficiency in global trade lanes, lower costs and reduce CO2 emissions.

Special attraction: Container 42

‘Container 42’ is a metaphor for this digital transformation, which is why it is a special attraction this year at Transport & Logistics Munich. ‘Container 42’ is the hyperintelligent container that started its two year data collection journey around the world in Rotterdam on 24 May, with Munich as first stopover. The container, equipped with sensors and communications technology, measures vibration, gradient, position, sound, air pollution, humidity and temperature during the journey. The container is also equipped with solar panels, to see how much energy a container can generate during a journey on a container ship, train or truck.