Rotterdam cuts tariffs again

The Port of Rotterdam Authority has announced a further cut in port dues for 2013

Port dues in Rotterdam will be lowered next year for the fourth year in a row and will be below the 2008 level, said the port authority (HBR) and Deltalinqs, the port employers’ association, in a joint statement.

As a result, lines will pay around €30M less to the port authority in 2013. In addition, €5M of the port dues in 2013 will be devoted specifically to initiatives from the business sector aimed at making the port more sustainable, following discussions between HBR, Deltalinqs and VRC, the association of Rotterdam shipbrokers and agents).

Hans Smits, CEO of HBR, said: “Although throughput is rising slightly, many companies are having a tough time. We hope that this discount will help our clients and bind cargo to Rotterdam. So it works both ways. We are also sending out a positive signal by spending an extra €5M on initiatives by the business sector to make the port more sustainable.”

Wim van Sluis, president of Deltalinqs, said: “The port of Rotterdam is strengthening its position as the biggest and best-quality port with increasingly competitive tariffs. In this way, it can work with the port business community to increase further its market share in the Hamburg-Le Havre range. This signal to the market provides the right impetus for further increasing import and export trade via Rotterdam and means a boost for the Rotterdam and Dutch economy.”

Albert Thissen, president of the VRC, added: “This shows that the Port of Rotterdam Authority is sensitive to the extremely difficult situation very many shipping companies find themselves in, and that it understands what the market needs now.”

According to HBR, allowing for inflation, the tariffs in 2013 should increase by 2.3%. This rise in tariffs will be compensated for by a one-off discount in 2013 of 2.3% for all commodities. In addition to this, the one-off discount of 4.3% which applies in 2012 will be continued. On top of this, there will be an extra generic discount of 2%. This all adds up to an 8.6% discount.