THE HAGUE, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Far fewer tankers and container ships entered the port of Rotterdam in 2023 compared to the previous year, the port announced on Wednesday.

The decline is the direct result of limited growth in the global economy and geopolitical tensions, which have caused dwindling world trade volumes and lower industrial production figures, according to the Port of Rotterdam, the largest in Europe.

Last year, 27,886 seagoing ships entered the port, compared to 29,029 in 2022.

"Rotterdam is a mirror of the world economy," port economist Bart Kuipers from Erasmus University told Dutch news portal BN DeStem.

He attributed the decline to the European Union's (EU) sanctions against Russia and the weak world trade.

As a result of the declining number of tankers and container ships mooring, fewer inland ships were needed to transport raw materials and goods further inland, according to the Port of Rotterdam.

The number of inland vessels fell from 97,459 in 2022 to 89,183 in 2023, a huge decrease of 8,276.

"If you look at the number of ship movements in 2023 and the cargo transported, you see a very sad picture for the Netherlands," Kuipers said.

Starting from 2022, container throughput figures have declined for two consecutive years, which had never happened in the history of the port of Rotterdam, he said. "So things aren't going well. And the end is not yet in sight. We need economic growth in Europe." Enditem

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