Port of Basel resilient in 2020
In the Swiss Rhine ports, goods throughput in 2020 fell by 15.5% compared to 2019. After 2018 with its low water levels, 2019 was a strong year, regaining lost ground and increasing its throughput by an impressive 30%. Therefore, all things considered, the pandemic year 2020 showed a better performance than 2018.
5.1 million t of cargo were handled in the Swiss Rhine Ports in 2020, around 1 million t less than in 2019. Yet, 2020's volumes were 8.5% higher than the 4.7 million t in 2018.
The fall in imports of petroleum products (down more than 18%) was the main reason for the decline in 2020, but agricultural produce, foodstuffs and animal feed, industrial minerals and construction materials also fell behind. Container traffic, on the other hand, was again clearly above the 100,000 teu mark. (cd)