Rotterdam port handled 13% less goods in the first six months of 2009 as it did in the year earlier period, the port authority said on Wednesday.

The port now expects full-year volumes to be down 12%, rather than between 6% and 10% as it forecast earlier.
Rotterdam, which is one of the biggest ports in the world, has been hard hit by the downturn in world trade. Container transports were down 15%.