Imports through North Europe's six busiest ports will slow to 8 percent this year from 15.9 percent in 2010 while exports rise 10.9 percent, almost level with 2010, according to the monthly NorthEuropeGlobalPort Tracker.
Government austerity packages, weakening economic growth and cautious consumer spending are slowing volume growth, the report said.
“Consumer sentiment is reflected in the uncertainty of the economy, resulting in a weak spending pattern which in turn reduces the volume of imports,” said Ben Hackett of Hackett Associates, which co-publishes the report with Bremen’s Institute of Shipping and Economics and Logistics.
The North Europe Global Port Tracker said combined import-export volumes through the ports of Le Havre, Zeebrugge, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremen-Bremerhaven and Hamburg in April totaled 1.94 million 20-foot-equivalent units, down 2.1 percent from March but up 7.6 percent from April 2010. Exports totaled were down 2.1 percent month-to-month and up 7.8 percent year-over-year.
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