Between growth and pressure: Rotterdam’s 2025 container year under review in Port News 12/03/2026 The 2025 annual figures confirm a clear shift in global trade flows. Imports are growing strongly, while exports are lagging, and the container balance is under increasing pressure. At the same time, Rotterdam is reinforcing its position as Europe’s leading container hub, despite mounting geopolitical and logistical challenges. These developments are in line with the insights set out in the 2026 Container Market Outlook, in which the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Xeneta analyst Peter Sand identify the key trends in the container market. The publication outlines shifts in trade flows, networks and the functioning of the port system, developments that are now visible in Rotterdam. ‘This is no longer something for the distant future. These changes are already visible in volumes, in trade flows and in the way the port system operates,’ says Frank van der Laan, Senior Business Intelligence Advisor at the Port of Rotterdam Authority. Rising imports, falling exports and a structural imbalance The 2025 annual figures paint a clear picture: international container trade is shifting, and Rotterdam is already feeling the effects. Import volumes rose by an average of 3.9 per cent, mainly driven by a strong increase in full containers from Asia (+9.3 per cent) and North America (+16 per cent). At the same time, exports are lagging behind. Exports to Asia in particular fell again, this time by 4 per cent. Compared with the peak year of 2018, exports to Asia were down 20 per cent, while exports to China were more than 40 per cent lower. This has led to a structural container imbalance. Between 2020 and 2025, the gap between imports and exports widened by 1.47 million TEU, further increasing the number of empty containers circulating in the system. According to Van der Laan, this imbalance is not a temporary phenomenon but the result of structural shifts in the economic relationship between Europe and Asia. ‘China has emerged as a technologically advanced manufacturing hub that now also competes with Europe in high-value sectors. At the same time, production costs in Europe have risen due to higher energy prices and stricter regulations.’ China’s weak domestic demand and focus on exports — compounded by the loss and diversion of part of the US market — are adding further pressure. But China is not the only factor, Van der Laan emphasises. A broader competitiveness challenge is also at play within Europe. Companies need to take a closer look at their supply chain strategy and where they can add value. Europe will have to ask itself what it can do to respond to these developments, and how it can strengthen its position by collaborating more intelligently and seizing opportunities in new production and trade models. Carrier network changes and geopolitics determine volumes In addition to shifting trade flows, the volume mix in 2025 was strongly influenced by strategic decisions made by container shipping companies. Changes in alliances and the reorganisation of shipping routes altered the position of ports within various trading regions, with direct consequences for Rotterdam. Trade with North America clearly demonstrates this. While total EU-US trade declined slightly in 2025, volumes in Rotterdam increased by more than 16 per cent. According to Van der Laan, this is not a sign of stronger demand but the direct result of changes in container alliances. The