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Port & Logistics

Smartest and most
sustainable port in Europe

Rotterdam is the undisputed #1 in Europe when it comes to fast connections to the European hinterland and transshipment capacity for bulk goods.

And there is more than enough potential for growth. For the next few decades Rotterdam will invest significantly in positioning itself as the smartest and most sustainable port in Europe.

Digital = fast, flexible and efficient

Smart port operations thanks to the new digital tools and services that make the logistics chain in the port more efficient, more flexible and even cleaner. As a result, freight forwarders and shipping companies can respond to their customer’s needs at lightning speed. We already had state-of-the-art terminals.

They now operate at peak efficiency thanks to the Container Exchange Route for combining consignments, Nextlogic for efficiently planning cargoes, and Pronto for minimising port waiting times and turnaround times.

Container hub and gateway

No other port in north-western Europe offers the same flexibility and extensive range of facilities. Rotterdam’s deep sea, short sea and inland shipping network, and the rail and road connections to Europe’s hinterland are unrivalled. At almost 24 metres, Rotterdam offers the greatest depth of Europe’s deep-sea ports and can accommodate large container ships without locks or tidal restrictions. Located at the mouth of the continent’s two largest rivers, Rotterdam is often the first port of call for cargo to Europe and the last port of call for cargo departing from Europe.

The port's highly reliable, 24/7 service providers handle cargo on time and at the lowest possible cost to ensure that it reaches its destination. The main European industrial centres and a market of 500 million consumers can be reached in less than 24 hours. Add in the connections to more than 1,000 ports all over the world, and it is clear that Rotterdam is the main hub and gateway for cargoes to and from Europe. The result of years of investment in networks, infrastructure and services.

Clean port

Major investment has also been put into sustainability. This has resulted in innovations for more efficient energy usage, cleaner fuels such as LNG and hydrogen, extensive electrification, renewable energy generation and more.

We also look further than the port alone; i.e. by taking action to reduce road transport and channel cargo increasingly towards rail and inland shipping.