Coal throughput at Rotterdam rises 15.3% as steel industry recovers

Coal throughput at the Port of Rotterdam rose by 15.3% in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, as steel production recovered in parts of Europe, the port authority said. Higher demand for coal-fired power also contributed, amid high gas prices. [1]

The increase was driven in part by more coking coal, used in blast furnaces to make steel. Rotterdam’s coal throughput had been unusually low the previous year because of difficulties in the European steel industry, the port authority said.

The recovery did not bring a rise in iron ore or scrap throughput. Low river levels disrupted transport by water, prompting steelmakers to draw on existing stocks instead. Overall cargo throughput at the port increased by 0.9% to 323.2 million tonnes.