Rotterdam Increases Biofuels Throughput
The transhipment of biofuels through the port of Rotterdam increased in the first half of 2008 from 1 mm tons to 2.5 mm tons, the port authorities report.
The ratio of ethanol to biodiesel was split approximately 50/50, they say.
The products were manufactured mainly overseas: ethanol from Brazil and biodiesel largely from the United States. Part of the incoming trade was used on the continent and some shipped on further by smaller sea-going vessels to England and Scandinavia in particular, they add.
The outgoing flow, however, also contained production from the continent, brought in mainly by barge.
Biodiesel throughput showed a particularly sharp increase: almost tripling from 430,000 tons in the first half of 2007 to 1,300,000 tons. This trend is expected to continue in the second half of the year.
In 2009 two plants with a joint capacity in excess of 600,000 tons are expected to begin production in the Rotterdam port area.
The ratio of ethanol to biodiesel was split approximately 50/50, they say.
The products were manufactured mainly overseas: ethanol from Brazil and biodiesel largely from the United States. Part of the incoming trade was used on the continent and some shipped on further by smaller sea-going vessels to England and Scandinavia in particular, they add.
The outgoing flow, however, also contained production from the continent, brought in mainly by barge.
Biodiesel throughput showed a particularly sharp increase: almost tripling from 430,000 tons in the first half of 2007 to 1,300,000 tons. This trend is expected to continue in the second half of the year.
In 2009 two plants with a joint capacity in excess of 600,000 tons are expected to begin production in the Rotterdam port area.
