Hormuz blockade drives 36% surge in oil product exports through Rotterdam port

The Port of Rotterdam has benefited from the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with crude oil handling rising 2 percent and exports of oil products jumping 36 percent in the first half of 2026 from the same period last year. Imports of oil products, meanwhile, fell 9 percent, according to new figures from the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up prices for crude oil and oil products in recent months. As a result, European oil refineries can import and process more oil, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said.

Container handling remained roughly unchanged from the first half of last year. Imports from Asia increased, while exports to Asia declined.

The war in Iran had little effect on container traffic. Relatively few containers were headed in that direction. The port was also able to quickly establish connections with other ports.

Handling of chemical products fell 17 percent. The Port of Rotterdam Authority said the chemical industry in the port had already been under pressure for some time. Higher energy costs caused by the war in Iran added to those difficulties. Several factories closed during the past six months.

Coal handling increased by nearly 18 percent as steel production rose. The increase was mainly driven by higher shipments of coke, which is used in blast furnaces to produce steel. Slightly more coal was also shipped as an alternative energy source to gas, whose prices have risen sharply because of the war.