Agribulk in the Port of Rotterdam

Year to date throughput results for agribulk in the Port of
Rotterdam are below the level of last year.  In the first six
months of 2009 agribulk transhipment decreased with 17% to
was the good crop results in the EU during the harvest year
2008/09 which runs approximately from July to June.  Basically
a high level of EU grain production means that fewer imports
are needed, provided of course that the price differentials
with overseas producers are favourable.
   On the export side, one of the main destinations is the
Middle East.  However, according to several sources, grain
harvests in the Middle East and North Africa are good,
resulting in lower imports from that region.
   The outlook for the transshipment of agribulk
commodities this year is difficult to predict as this is very
dependent on 2009/10 crop results in the European Union
and overseas, and on price developments.  EU grain demand
should remain almost unchanged at approximately 267–270mt
according to market sources.  While the use of grain for
ethanol production should increase, demand for feed grain by
the EU compound feed industry is expected to drop.
Agribulk transshipment in 2009 could result in a level
somewhere between 8.5mt and 9.5mt.  In recent years
agribulk throughput in Rotterdam averaged about 10mt per
annum.
   Rotterdam has a market share of 33% in the so-called
Hamburg–Le Havre Range.  And also in the field of oils and
fats, Rotterdam is Europe’s market leader.  The region
accommodates a number of sales offices of renowned
agricultural trading houses.  A comprehensive range of
crushers, processors, food manufacturers, packagers and
transport and storage companies are located in the port.
There is also a wide variety of service providers: laboratories,
grain factors and forwarding agents — specialists offering any
product, any quantity, and any service.
   Among the value adding companies in the port of
Rotterdam many reputable names can be found, like Archer
Daniels Midland (ADM) for soyabean and rapeseed crushing
and refining, Meneba/Worldflour for grain-based products,
Codrico for maize grits and flours and Provimi for animal
nutrition (premixes, specialties and complete feeds).  Crude
vegetable oils are refined and fractioned by Cargill Refined
Oils Europe, IOI Loders Croklaan and KOG Edible Oils.
The biofuels market offers new opportunities for the port.
One example is that ADM converted its existing soyabean
crushing line to provide multi-seed crushing capacity at its
Europoort location.  Through this plant, ADM aims to meet
the growing demand for rapeseed oil, which is used for bio-
diesel and food purposes.
   New investments in biofuels production will further
strengthen the position of Rotterdam in the agribusiness.
Building has started of a facility by Abengoa with a capacity of
480 million litres to supply the growing ethanol demand in
Europe. This plant will use grains as feedstock.  The start-up of
the Abengoa plant will only begin to have any effect on
imports at the beginning of 2010.
Another major project is by the Neste Oil Corp. from
Finland that plans to build a $1 billion plant at Rotterdam
Maasvlakte.  Construction is expected to be completed in
2011.  The Rotterdam plant will have an annual capacity of
800,000 tonnes of renewable diesel fuel and will use palm oil,
rapeseed oil and animal fat as raw materials.
The stevedoring companies in the port are able to handle
any type of agricultural cargo whatever the quantity or
packaging.  Direct from ship to shore (silo or flat storage) and
from ship to inland vessel, coaster or floating storage.  These
independent handling companies, like EBS and Marcor are also
equipped with floating cranes.
   Well-known trading houses are frequent users of the port
of Rotterdam for both import and export shipments.
ADM/Toepfer, Bunge, Cefetra, Glencore, TRC and others
charter their own ships or share vessels. Azure Parcel
Services operates a regular parcel service between Rotterdam
and South America.  A new parcel service for Rotterdam,
calling at EBS, is Atlantic Bulk Services.
   The port of Rotterdam is centrally located for access to
the European market and is the only port in Europe capable
of receiving even the largest vessels.  Very short turnaround
times are guaranteed as the port has no locks and is located
directly at the sea.  From the port European destinations can
easily be reached by all modes of transport (seagoing vessels,
barges, lorries and trains).  Rail facilities have recently been
upgraded.  Since the end of April 2007 European Bulk Services
(EBS) has been using a new train loading and unloading
installation at its Europoort Terminal.