Port of Rotterdam bunkers 9.8 million tonnes in 2024

The Port of Rotterdam has reported that maritime vessels bunkered 9.8 million tonnes of fuel in 2024, a moderate decline from 9.9 million tonnes in 2023. In 2024, demand for fuel oil, marine petrol oil, and other fuels was 0.9 per cent lower than in 2023. The Port of Rotterdam observed that demand for LNG in 2024 had recovered to previous levels after decreasing during the period of high petrol prices. The total demand for LNG climbed by 52 per cent compared to 2023 when 620,000 cubic metres were bunkered.

Following the inaugural bunkering of bio-methanol at the Port of Rotterdam in 2023, demand for bio-methanol increased dramatically in 2024, reaching over 4,000 tonnes, up from 750 tonnes in 2023. The demand for bio-blended fuels in 2024 exhibited a clear dichotomy: a slight growth in the first half of the year, followed by a sharp decline in the second half. That was particularly evident in the demand for bio-blended VLSFO, the largest of the bio-blends. The increased availability of bio-blended fuels in Asia following the European Union’s imposition of anti-dumping duties on Chinese biofuel was the primary cause. Nonetheless, the port revealed that demand for bio-blends remained unchanged from 2023 at 750,000 tonnes.