The Port of Rotterdam saw throughput rise substantially during the third quarter noting that container volume back is above pre-Covid-19 level, with a large increase in throughput of oil products, iron ore, coal and biomass.

Goods throughput in the port of Rotterdam rose to 118.5 million tonnes in the July-September period, which was 14.6% more than in the same period last year.

Throughput was 350.1 million tonnes through to the end of the third quarter, an increase of 8.6% on 2020.

Meanwhile, Europe's busiest cargo port also announced that Allard Castelein, president of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, will remain on his post until summer of 2023.

Port of Rotterdam said the shareholders of the Port of Rotterdam Authority —  consisting of the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch State — have appointed Allard Castelein for a third term on the recommendation of the Supervisory Board.

In a related news, the port also announced that Japanese company Kubota has chosen port of Rotterdam for Northern European distribution.

The Japanese machine manufacturer is the new tenant of a large distribution centre in Alblasserdam in the western Netherlands.

Port of Rotterdam noted that the site of the port area is strategically located next to BCTN’s container terminal and will be Kubota’s operating base for deliveries to the Northern European market.