The Netherlands: “Port of the Year” Goes to Port of Rotterdam

Port of Rotterdam was proclaimed ‘Port of the Year’ during the annual ‘Containerisation International Awards’ in London.

The expert jury praised the port for its substantial investment programme in Europe’s leading logistics hub and industrial complex. The jury also compliments the port with its attention to sustainability with their modal shift objectives and groundbreaking initiatives like InlandLinks and NextLogic that contribute to it.

Emile Hoogsteden, director of Containers, Breakbulk and Logistics at the Port of Rotterdam Authority: “Winning this award is a tremendous achievement and recognition of our efforts. As the port of Rotterdam, we are constantly working on new investments and innovations. We don’t do this alone, but in partnership with as many market parties as possible. This is the only way we can continue to improve our port and pursue our ambition to be the most efficient, safe and sustainable port in the world. A good example of this is obviously the development of Maasvlakte 2. This is a project with which we are investing in the future and not only responding to the increasing volume size of containerships, but also taking steps towards optimising the logistical supply chain. At the same time, we enable our clients to achieve economies of scale. That’s the aim of joint ventures like P3, which will also boost our total throughput in the short and long term. Rotterdam leads today, by planning for tomorrow.”

Increasing volume

According to the World Economic Forum, Rotterdam had the best port infrastructure in the world in both 2012 and 2013. During the period 2008-2015, businesses will make joint investments totalling over €11 billion in the port of Rotterdam, €1.2 billion of which is in container terminals. With this Rotterdam is responding to the increasing number of large 13,000 – 18,000 TEU vessels, already reflected in P3’s decision to send their largest ships to Rotterdam. Volume in the port is expected to further increase once the container terminals on Maasvlakte 2 become operational.

Ben Vree, European CEO at APM Terminals: “Although the frequency of calls made by container vessels to Rotterdam may decline in the coming year, the volume will continue to increase. Combined with the state-of-the-art infrastructure and the improved efficiency in ship and cargo handling, Rotterdam’s future looks very bright. So I think the port of Rotterdam deserved to win.”

About the Containerisation International Award

The Containerisation International Awards is an initiative of publisher Containerisation International. Every year, prizes are awarded to businesses and private individuals which made a unique contribution to container liner shipping and the logistics sector in the previous year by being innovative, proactive and/or pioneering.

The nominees for the ‘Port of the Year’ award were DP World’s Jebel Ali Port, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Rotterdam.

[mappress]

Press Release, October 25, 2013