The latest tracking report on global ports jointly issued by US Hackett Associates and North Europe Bremen Shipping College points out that affected by the debt problems of several countries in Europe, it is estimated that the container throughput of European ports this year will be zero increase. Despite increase of container volumes in busy seasons of January and May, the throughput of European ports will see substantial drop in the first half of this year.

The ports under investigation include six major container ports of North Europe, respectively Le Havre, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Bremen/Bremerhaven and Hamburg.

According to the report, the increase of exported cargo volume of European ports is estimated to be 7.1%, and the volume is to reach 16.8 million containers. The increase of overall import cargo volume last year is estimated to be 3.9%, the increase of export cargo volume of North Europe is estimated to be 5%, and the increase of cargo volume of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions is estimated to be 1.8%.

According to data, the export increase in Europe in the whole last year is higher than the forecast in 2010, rising by 9.1% to 16.57 million containers. The total cargo volume includes empty returning containers, which is estimated to rise by 7.5% to 40.05 million containers.

The report has also pointed out that the monthly cargo volume rise and fall this year are unit figures, and though port cargos are estimated to rise in the next half year, yet they are still increase of unit figures. Hackett, President of Hackett Associates told logistical management personnel in the US, “It is very normal that there will be no increase in 2012. Many governments in Europe vigorously promote tightening measures, which increase unemployment rate and reduce the increase of GDP.”

He said, “Ship surplus has become more serious, and the surplus transportation capacity of Asia, Europe and Pan-Pacific routes has brought huge pressure to transportation rates. Though we estimate that the transportation rates are to rise somehow in the second half of this year, yet it does not mean that the average transportation rates of the whole year will rise.”