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Overall throughput at Europe's largest port was up less than 1%
year-on-year as an 8.9% fall in container traffic - caused by
global logistics bottlenecks and the end of container traffic
with Russia - offset the rise in raw materials.
"Imports of both LNG and coal rose very sharply as an
alternative to reduced European imports of Russian gas by
pipeline," the port said in a statement.
Coal throughput rose 30% to 14.6 million tonnes, while LNG
throughput was up 46% to 5.4 million tonnes, port data showed.
Russian trade had made up about 13% of Rotterdam traffic before
the invasion, which Moscow terms a "special military operation",
began on Feb. 24. Until then about 30% of crude oil and 25% of
coal and LNG came from Russia.
The port released a chart without exact percentages showing
Russian coal imports had fallen to a sliver in June, with
Russian LNG also down very sharply.
Russian crude imports declined gradually from March and appeared
to represent about a quarter of the total in June. Under
European Union sanctions, Russian crude is set to be banned by
the end of 2022.
"The availability of energy and raw materials at reasonable
prices cannot be taken for granted," CEO Allard Castelein said
in a statement.
"Europe relies heavily on Russian energy (and) the current
geopolitical situation makes Europe very vulnerable."
Revenues at the port, which is owned by the City of Rotterdam
and the Dutch government, increased by 6.3% to 412 million euros
($419 million).
($1 = 0.9822 euros)
(Reporting by Toby Sterling; editing by Barbara Lewis)
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