Cargo throughput at Amsterdam and Rotterdam was up in the first quarter of this year in contrast to other Western ports, despite the economic downturn in Europe.

Rotterdam, Europe's busiest port, reported a rise of 0.2 per cent cargo growth between January and March. Its container throughput rose by 1.3 per cent compared with the previous corresponding period.

Transshipment rose by 0.2 per cent over the same period last year, boosted mainly by of coal and miscellaneous dry bulk goods. Total transshipment in the port amounted to over 71.9 million tonnes.