RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: Strong increase in at European ports

According to the latest flash estimate, the Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) rose to a seasonally adjusted 129.3 points in March compared to the previous month. In European ports, container throughput increased by more than 10 per cent compared to the previous month. In many other regions of the world, it merely stagnated.

The most important facts in brief:

• The Container Throughput Index of the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL) rose to 129.3 points in March, seasonally adjusted, compared to 128.6 points (revised) in the previous month.
• The North Range Index, which provides an indication of economic development in the northern eurozone and Germany, rose sharply from 103.7 (revised) to 114.9 points in March compared to the previous month.
• In the Chinese ports, container throughput largely stagnated at 138.9 points.
• The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index for April 2024 will be published on 29 May 2024.

Commenting on the development of the Container Throughput Index, RWI head of economic research Torsten Schmidt says: "The strong increase in container throughput in European ports is probably at least partly due to the fact that many container ships are avoiding the passage through the Red Sea and favouring the route around Africa. As a result, some deliveries to Europe may have been delayed and are now included in the March figures. Nevertheless, the increase probably also reflects the economic recovery in the eurozone, which is now likely to gain some momentum."

Source: RWI Essen, Photo: Fotolia