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Just off the coast, south of Rotterdam's port estuary, a new harbour is being created: Maasvlakte 2. It is
the ideal location for ocean shipping for the expansion of Europe's biggest port.
It took the Port of Rotterdam quite some time to arrive at a decision on this expansion into the sea.
After World War II new harbours were rapidly added to the Port of Rotterdam: Botlek, Europoort and in the
1970s, Maasvlakte. The addition of Maasvlakte 2 will expand the surface area of the Port of Rotterdam to a
total of 6,000 hectares. In the past few decades, the growth of the port and portside industry has made a
large scale expansion all but unavoidable. The economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 is of little longterm
consequence in this respect. This is why Rotterdam's port community has no doubts about the
need to construct Maasvlakte 2. If Rotterdam wants to continue developing, room for expansion is
required. Deep sea container shipping (accounting for more than ten million TEU worth of cargo in 2008),
the chemical industry and the distribution parks are particularly in need of more breathing space. And as
more deep-draughting ships keep finding their way to Rotterdam, more space will be required to ensure the
proper transfer of cargo. The new port-to-be, located directly off the coast with twenty meter deep
harbours, is the perfect place.
Slowly, Maasvlakte 2 is taking shape off the coast.
Photo Aeroview/Port of Rotterdam Authority
An industrial park of one thousand hectares is scheduled for development on Maasvlakte 2 by
2013. The new harbour will consist entirely of land reclaimed from the sea. The first sand was deposited
in September 2008, at which time the construction of a seawall also began. The barrier, consisting of
beachheads, dunes and concrete blocks, serves as a protective layer around the new deposits. The total
surface area reclaimed from the sea amounts to approximately 2,000 hectares, an area comparable
to Disney World. Half of this area will be covered by supporting infrastructure. This infrastructure is
required to ensure open connections with the port's hinterland, first and foremost on the river Rhine. The
expansion of the port will double its container transhipment capacity.
All companies looking to expand their business to Maasvlakte 2 have agreed to transport at least 45
per cent of all their containers to the hinterland by inland ship. Of course, the Maasvlakte 2 terminals
will also need to be linked up to road and rail networks. And the new harbours must mesh perfectly
with existing infrastructure in the port, making use of state-of-the-art technology in all its facets.
The environment stands to benefit from the construction of Maasvlakte 2. Not because land is
being reclaimed for logistic purposes, but because ample wildlife compensation was arranged during
the planning phase of this project in accordance with the Birds and Habitats Directive. This European
Union directive prescribes which areas need to be protected in order to maintain the habitats of specific
flora and fauna. Maasvlakte 2 is part of the Rotterdam Project for Mainport Development (PMR),
an effort to improve both the mainport itself and quality of life in the region. The contracting
consortium PUMA (Projectorganisatie Uitvoering Maasvlakte 2) is responsible for the construction of Maasvlakte 2.
Thousands of tonnes of sand are being deposited to create new land.
Photo Aeroview/Port of Rotterdam Authority
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