Which European port has long been the continent’s largest seaport by cargo throughput?

The Port of Rotterdam has long been Europe’s largest seaport by cargo throughput.

Located in the Netherlands, Rotterdam occupies a strategic position at the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse rivers. That location connects the North Sea with major industrial and population centers in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and beyond.

The port’s modern expansion accelerated after the Second World War, particularly through the construction of the Europoort and Maasvlakte areas. It handles containers, crude oil, petroleum products, chemicals, dry bulk, and other cargoes.

Rotterdam is sometimes confused with Europe’s busiest container port, depending on the comparison and year. Antwerp-Bruges is also a major European port, while Hamburg is Germany’s largest seaport. Rankings can change by metric, but Rotterdam is consistently identified as Europe’s largest port by overall cargo throughput.