NETHERLANDS\\\


Issue 9 2019 - FBJNA


29


Rotterdam, home to Europe’s No. 1 seaport. (Rotterdam Partners Photo.)


“APMT-MV2 and RWG are


grown to 4.4 million TEUs. Its biggest competitor is Antwerp followed by La Havre. Encompassing


31,000 With


By Karen E. Thuermer the


UK increasing


unsteady as a location from which to launch any type of European distribution, the Netherlands is capitalizing on its geographic advantages and logistics excellence. And companies are taking notice. The Netherlands is


regarded the No. 1 logistics hub in Europe from which 170 million consumers


within the EU can be reached within 1 day. Further, in 2017- 18, the World Economic Forum ranked its Port of Rotterdam tops for best port infrastructure worldwide. (Singapore ranked second; Hong Kong third; and the UAE fourth.) Given this heightened


environment, this FBJNA editor made an in-depth


tour of the Dutch logistics industry in October, an event sponsored by the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA). Here are the findings:


Port of Rotterdam


The heartbeat of Dutch logistics begins with the Port


of Rotterdam. The


port handles nearly 60% of Northern Europe’s container trade, a market that has


acres and five terminals, the port’s crowning glory is its Maasvlake 2. Built on reclaimed land between 2008-13, Maasvlake 2 enlarged the port by 20%. Maasvlake 2’s APMT-


MV2 and Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) -- two of the world’s most up-to- date, automatic container terminals capable of handling the largest sea-going vessels – are responsible for much of the port’s growth.


fully electrified and ready for future growth,” said Steven Jan van Hengel, the port’s senior business manager for shippers and forwarders. “There’s enough room for Phase 2 and 3.” Containers currently


account for 32% of Rotterdam’s business.; liquid bulk, 45%. During the first six months 2019,


experiences truck and feeder congestion since 34% of movements are done by truck; 30%, feeder vessels; 28%, barge; and 8%, rail. “Such large vessels require


the port achieved a


throughput of 240.7 million tonnes – 3.4% more than the same period 2018. Meanwhile, some of Europe’s other port are experiencing declining volumes due to terminal inefficiencies. In September, the 23,756


TEU MSC Gülsün arrived at Rotterdam, followed by its equally large sister vessel. Rotterdam


can handle these huge ships, the port


8,000-10,000 moves in a 24- 36-hour period,” van Hengel reported. “Generally, 800 TEUs equals 10 trains; 2,800 TEUs, 28 barge calls; 3,4000 TEUs, 2,000 trucks; and 3,000 TEUs, 5 feeder calls.” Consequently, an initiative


is helping limit barge calls to port terminals. Late last year Barge Terminal Tilburg, Combined Cargo Terminals, Moerdijk Container Terminals and Danser Group signed on to combine cargo between Tilburg, Moerdijk and Rotterdam. The initiative also is being expanded into Germany. Intermodal is


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