The throughput of dry bulk decreased by 5.6% compared to the same period last year. The main reason for the decline is the sharp drop in the throughput of iron ore and scrap by 12.7% and 2.9 million tonnes.
The decline in German steel production continued in the third quarter, under pressure from ongoing economic uncertainty and trade barriers. Electrical steel production also declined, albeit to a lesser extent, resulting in slightly higher scrap exports.
Coal throughput fell by 5.3% compared to 2024, mainly due to reduced demand for coking coal in the steel industry. In contrast, the use of energy coal in the Netherlands and Germany increased due to higher energy demand that could not be fully met by additional solar and wind energy, particularly in the first quarter of 2025.
The growth in imports of agribulk goods continued in the third quarter. As a result, throughput in this segment increased by 16.8% compared to last year. This increase is mainly due to the commissioning of a new dry bulk terminal in Rotterdam.
Due to lagging industrial production in Germany, demand for raw materials is limited. The throughput of other dry bulk therefore shows a decline of 7.2% in the first nine months of 2025.