Impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the port of Rotterdam
Laatste update: 15 June 2023 - 16:10 uur
The war in Ukraine has led to a number of sanctions by the European Union and others against Russia. These sanctions include, for example, a ban on imports of steel, coal, oil and oil products from Russia.
The sanctions affect Russia, but also have economic consequences for the Netherlands. For instance, through increased disruptions in global trade and increased uncertainty about energy supply in north-western Europe.
Russia-oriented throughput
In 2021, 71.5 million tonnes of the nearly 470 million tonnes of throughput in the port of Rotterdam was Russia-oriented (15%). By 2022, this has decreased to around 42.2 million tonnes (9%). Most of this is crude oil (23.9 million tonnes) and oil products (9.6 million tonnes). Many energy carriers are imported from Russia via the port of Rotterdam. Roughly speaking, in 2022: 23% of crude oil, 15% of LNG, 10% of coal and 16% of oil products came from Russia. Virtually no containers have been transferred since Russia invaded Ukraine. After the sanctions on coal entered into force in August, oil in December 2022 and oil products in February 2023, these products were no longer transported via Rotterdam.
Attention! EU sanctions apply at the port of Rotterdam
For the full text of the European regulation, see:EUR-Lex - 02014R0833-20220722 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu), Ukraine and Russia (rvo.nl). The exemption provisions are on pages 3 and 4 of the EU regulation: Article 3ea, paragraph 5 a to e. It also refers to annexes with specific cargo numbers (CN numbers, listed in Annex XXII on page 33 and Annex XXIV on page 66).
Douanecontrole
The European Union has banned the import and export of a large number of goods. Cargo with a Russian provenance or intended to be transported to Russia will undergo additional inspections to make sure that none of the goods being transported are on the list of banned products. The Dutch Customs Authority monitors the import and export of goods and checks whether any of the goods being transported are subject to restrictive measures.
Cybersecurity
As far as cybersecurity of businesses is concerned, port of Rotterdam has FERM. The purpose of FERM is to encourage cooperation between companies in the port of Rotterdam and to increase awareness of cyber security risks. Currently, FERM has reported that the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) has not yet had any concrete indications of cyber attacks impacting the Netherlands in relation to the war in Ukraine.
Position
The Rotterdam Port Authority has not independently drafted any policies of its own in response to the war in Ukraine. Nor does the Port Authority have the authority to do something like impose restrictions on businesses. This is the responsibility of the Dutch government. The Port Authority supports the policies of the Dutch and European authorities. International rule of law and the right of self-determination of states are essential values that must not be compromised, as well as the notion of a level playing field on which Member States act.
More information
Veelgestelde vragen
Ship and container handling
How are ships flying the Russian flag and falling under the exemption provisions of the Regulation dealt with?
The same as other shipping. Shipping traffic from Russia is being handled in the usual way. However, various agencies are paying extra attention to these ships. This is due to the restrictions imposed on Russia by EU countries. Some terminals have made other decisions in this regard.
Are there possibilities in the port of Rotterdam to temporarily store stranded containers with destination Russia?
Yes, in consultation with Customs, locations have been designated where such containers may be temporarily stored. More information on the storage of containers on these sites can be obtained from the shipping company/shipbroker.
Are containers transported from the port of Rotterdam to Russia?
Containers that have been cleared by customs can be transported to Russia. More information about this can be obtained from the shipping company/shipbroker. In some cases the original destination of the cargo in Russia can be changed to another new destination outside Russia. More information on this can also be obtained from the shipping company/shipbroker.
Which companies have a lot of services to the Baltic region?
They are Unifeeder, Samskip, Eimskip, A2B, Cargow and X-press.
Shipping
How many vessels have called at Rotterdam from Russian ports and vice versa?
In 2022, a total of 764 vessels arrived in Rotterdam that had come from a Russian port. In other words, a monthly average of 64 vessels called at Rotterdam, with decreasing frequency: 106, 88, 99, 90, 74, 61, 60, 48, 37, 32, 36, 33. In 2022, 534 ships departed directly for a Russian port. That is an average of 45 ships per month with a decreasing trend: 80, 69, 72, 67, 43, 33, 41, 26, 25, 18, 32, 28.
In 2023, 43 ships have arrived in Rotterdam from a Russian port and 25 ships have departed from Rotterdam directly to a Russian port.
How many vessels have called at Rotterdam from Ukrainian ports and vice versa?
So far, 21 vessels have arrived in Rotterdam from Ukraine in 2022. A total of 3 ships departed in 2022 with the next port being a port in Ukraine. In 2023, no ships have so far arrived in Rotterdam directly from Ukraine or departed from Rotterdam to Ukraine.
How many Russian vessels call at Rotterdam annually?
In 2022, a total of 88 vessels under the Russian flag arrived (an average of 7 vessels monthly), with decreasing frequency: 20, 13, 20, 12, 7, 4, 1, 2, 2, 4, 1, 2. monthly.
Six Russian-flagged ships have arrived so far in 2023.
How many Russian ships has the Harbour Master denied entry to the port of Rotterdam?
In 2022, the Harbour Master of Rotterdam denied one Russian vessel entry to the port of Rotterdam. Since then, several vessels have initially been refused entry to the port of Rotterdam because it was unclear at the time whether the vessel and/or its cargo were subject to the restrictive measures or to the derogations from the restrictive measures. Such investigations may take several hours to several days for each vessel. Generally, the Harbour Master relies on information obtained from the Dutch Customs Authority and the Coast Guard. Vessels under the Russian flag are also subject to authorisation by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
How many Ukrainian vessels call at Rotterdam annually?
No Ukrainian ships came to Rotterdam in 2022 and in 2023 until 5 February.
What kinds of vessels are subject to the restrictions?
Since 16 April 2022, it has been prohibited to grant access to ports on the territory of the European Union to vessels registered under the Russian flag. It is also prohibited to import Russian coal and crude oil into the European Union. Under certain conditions, exceptions are made for vessels carrying a certain cargo. For more information, see the EU regulation (Article 3): Publication Office (europa.eu). You can also find more information / ask your question via the website of RVO: Information on sanctions Russia (rvo.nl, Dutch only)
Volumes
How many containers are being shipped from Russia to Rotterdam and vice versa?
In 2022, approximately 255,000 TEUs worth of cargo related to Russia were transhipped in Rotterdam (deepsea/feeder and shortsea). Most of this volume was achieved in the early months of 2022, i.e. before the restrictions were imposed. It concerned imports, exports and transhipments. In 2021, 1,275,000 TEUs worth of cargo related to Russia were transhipped in Rotterdam, which made up about 8% of the total container volumes shipped via the Port of Rotterdam.
What type of cargo arrived in the Netherlands from Russia?
The Russian exports to the Netherlands mostly concerned crude oil, petroleum products, coal, steel, copper, aluminium and nickel. By now the EU has imposed restrictions on the import of steel, coal and oil, and starting from now on, the import of petroleum products will be prohibited, too. For now, non-ferrous metals are not subject to any sanctions, but the trade in such Russian metals has sharply decreased.
What kinds of things can no longer be imported due to the sanctions that have been imposed?
The sanctions that have been imposed govern both imports and exports. A list of products that are subject to these sanctions can be found on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)’s website (Dutch only), which has the most up-to-date overview.
Is reefer cargo (more specifically, perishable goods) also subject to the restrictions?
No, at present perishable goods are not subject to the restrictions, meaning they may be exported to Russia.
How are the sanctions affecting the import of coal?
The import of Russian coal has been prohibited since 10 August 2022. EU member states are no longer allowed to import Russian coal. In 2021, 23.4 million tonnes of coal were shipped to Rotterdam, 25% of which (5.9 million tonnes) were originally from Russia. Since August 2022, no Russian coal has been unloaded in Rotterdam.
Sanctions and impact
What is the impact of the oil embargo that came into force at the end of 2022?
The ban on the import of Russian oil, which entered into effect on Monday, 5 December 2022, will mainly result in major changes to global oil trade flows.
Globally, the production and consumption of oil will remain at a similar level, but due to the boycott, Russian oil will no longer be imported via Rotterdam. This oil will now go to countries that are choosing not to boycott Russian oil, such as India, Turkey and China. And some of the oil that used to go to those countries will now come to Europe instead – for instance, oil from the Middle East and the United States.
This may sound quite simple, but it is anything but. It constitutes a major disruption to the global energy system, which will ultimately (temporarily) impact the availability and prices of various petroleum products. Among other things, the boycott of Russian oil means that larger distances must now be covered on sea, which requires more money, and not all oil refineries are equally suited to the processing of all types of crude oil. The composition of crude oil differs from source to source, results in different products and may mean that some refineries must be modified to be able to process them.
Is less Russian oil now being imported to Rotterdam?
Well in advance of the import ban on Russian oil, many refineries in Rotterdam made a decision to stop processing Russian oil and to purchase alternative but suitable types of oil and modify their processing process instead.
What are the effects of the total ban on the import of Russian petroleum products, such as petrol, diesel and kerosene?
Due to the ban, the amount of petroleum products available in the Netherlands and other EU member states may be reduced. As a result, the price of petroleum products (such as petrol and diesel) may rise. At present, we have a healthy amount of petrol and diesel in stock, so we are not about to experience a shortage.
The Dutch Cabinet is drafting a plan outlining measures to be implemented in order to reduce our consumption of oil and petroleum products. These measures will take effect if it seems likely that we are about to experience an oil or petroleum product shortage. Other EU member states are drafting similar plans, to ensure that states will not use up each other’s oil in the event of a serious shortage.
Is the port of Rotterdam closed to Russian vessels?
Since 16 April 2022, it has been prohibited to grant access to ports on the territory of the European Union to vessels registered under the Russian flag. It is also prohibited to import Russian coal and crude oil into the European Union. Under certain conditions, exceptions are made for vessels carrying a certain cargo. For more information, see the EU regulation (Article 3): Publication Office (europa.eu). You can also find more information / ask your question via the website of RVO: Information on sanctions Russia (rvo.nl, Dutch only)
Can the Harbour Master impose sanctions?
No. The Dutch government, in cooperation with other EU countries, decides if and when sanctions are imposed, not the Harbour Master. However, the Harbour Master is responsible for all aspects (e.g. safety and efficiency) related to the access policy for ships. If the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, on behalf of the government, orders that ships from certain countries be prohibited, the Harbour Master will implement this decision.
Can the Port Authority impose sanctions?
No. The Dutch government, in cooperation with the European Union, imposes sanctions; the Port Authority does not. The Port Authority supports government policy.
Safety and security
How well prepared is the port of Rotterdam for possible cyber attacks?
Cyber resilience has been an important theme in the port of Rotterdam for years. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is co-initiator of FERM. FERM is a foundation, in which partners such as Deltalinqs, the Municipality of Rotterdam, the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region, DCMR and the Police are involved. FERM's goal is to stimulate cooperation between businesses in the port of Rotterdam, increase digital knowledge and skills and raise awareness of cyber risks. The business community in the port of Rotterdam bears the greatest responsibility in this matter. FERM reports that the NCSC has so far no concrete indications that digital attacks in relation to the war in Ukraine are currently affecting the Netherlands. For more information: FERM (only in Dutch).
What do you advise companies in the port of Rotterdam to do?
You should ensure that cybersecurity, the protection of your digital systems including links to other companies, is in order. To do so, follow the advice of the NCSC www.ncsc.nl and also look at www.ferm-rotterdam.nl (only in Dutch). Think about what to do in case of an unexpected failure of utilities (electricity, water, (mobile) phone networks). In addition, make sure that the physical security of the company is in order, so that unauthorised persons cannot gain access to the company premises.
Who is responsible for protecting the port area against possible attacks?
The primary and physical protection of the port area against possible military attacks is a responsibility of the government, although such attacks do not seem realistic. Companies also have a responsibility, by ensuring that security protocols are in order and complied with. Therefore, reporting suspicious situations and disruptions of digital systems, for example, to the police and the Port Cyber Notification Desk of the Harbour Coordination Centre (HCC) is very important.