Rotterdam, Europe's biggest port, posted a 5.8 per cent year-on-year increase in container volume in 2014 to 12.2 million TEU, which the port authority takes as a sign of European economic recovery.

Economic recovery in the UK spurred an eight per cent rise in ro-ro cargo to 20 million tonnes, while other general cargo, mostly consisting of building materials, was up 28.1 per cent to 26 million tonnes.

The port expects growth of around one per cent in 2015, led primarily by containers. Terminals on Maasvlakte II will be starting up in 2015, but extra capacity for growth will not be realised until 2016, reports Colchester, England's SeaTrade Global.

Overall cargo rose one per cent to 445 million tonnes in 2014, and the port expects similar growth in 2015.

Dry bulk and liquid bulk cargo throughputs both saw minor declines, while containers and breakbulk saw improvements over 2013.

Renovation of blast furnaces in Germany contributed to a 5.2 per cent drop in ores and scrap to 34 million tonnes, but agribulk was up 9.2 per cent to 11.2 million tonnes while other dry bulk increased 4.9 per cent to 12.8 million tonnes.

For liquid bulk cargo, crude oil was up 4.8 per cent to 95.3 million tonnes, but oil products fell 8.1 per cent to 75 million tonnes while other liquid bulk dropped 7.4 per cent to 30.8 million tonnes. Although small in scale, LNG made an improvement of 59.5 per cent to 1.2 million tonnes in 2014. (Source: Shipping Gazette)