UB Geografia d'Europa: textos de suport  
PORT OF ROTTERDAM: HISTORY






FROM FISHING PORT TO EUROPEAN MAINPORT

In the 14th century Rotterdam was still a fishing port situated on the river Rotte; six centuries later the biggest port in the world and the most important port for the continent of Europe. This development from fishing port to European Mainport rapidly accelerated during the past century. An important stimulus was the excavation of an open link with the North Sea: Rotterdam was then ready for its enormous growth. A brief look at the history of the port.

The first port activities began around 1328 with the construction of Oude Haven. Imports and exports of products soon drew attention to the small town and links were formed with ports in England and Portugal. Exports increased and twelve other harbours were constructed. Rotterdam expanded into a prosperous old Dutch port.

1864: Excavation of the Nieuwe Waterweg

As a result of the industrialisation of Germany and England, there was an increase in the onward transportation of goods after 1850. In the middle of the last century, however, Rotterdam was still faced with the problem of the obstruction in the Meuse estuary. In 1864 the city began work on the construction of a navigation channel without locks to form the definitive estuary of the Rhine and Meuse in the North Sea. This direct link with the sea, known as the Nieuwe Waterweg, led to Rotterdam being selected as the import and export port for the German coal and steel industry. It was the start of bulk transport.

1900-1930: Waalhaven and Merwedehaven

In 1906 work began on the excavation of Waalhaven. This was intended as a bulk cargo harbour for the transshipment of coal, ore and grain. Merwehaven on the north bank was started in 1923. The port complex was made suitable for ships of up to 38 feet (12 metres at the quay-wall), a depth which was only achieved on the river after the war. In later years Merwehaven became Rotterdam's fruit port. A fruit auction was also established here.

1930-1940: Petroleumhavens

Work commenced in 1929 on the construction of the 1st Petroleumhaven covering an area of 47 hectares. In 1936 Shell set up the first refinery in the port of Rotterdam here. This remained the only one for some time. Even before the Second World War there was a clear need for more land for tank storage and industry. This is why work was started in 1938 on a 2nd Petroleumhaven between the 1st Petroleumhaven and the village of Pernis.

1940-1950: Devastation, Rebuilding and modernisation

The port of Rotterdam emerged from the war much the worse for wear. The damage was largely caused deliberately by the occupying forces. The five war years resulted in a loss of 35% of the quay-walls, 45% of the transshipment capacity and 30% of the storage space.

Restoration of the port was given the highest priority after the war. This also involved modernisation: the most advanced terminals and the very latest types of crane made Rotterdam even more attractive as a port. The reconstruction of the port was completed around 1950.

1950-1960: Botlek and Europoort

The 1st and 2nd Petroleumhavens could no longer cope with the demand for port sites by industry. The so-called Botlek project began in a 3rd Petroleumhaven (to the immediate west of the Oude Maas). Four years later the entire Botlek complex was finished. The customers were soon pouring in. Although many people had thought that it would be thirty years before the area was full, it was virtually "sold out" within just nine months.

It was clear that the Botlek area was far from sufficient. There was an urgent need for more seaport sites, and as soon as humanly possible. The speed at which the Europoort plan was implemented surpassed everything. It was approved in November 1957 and the first tanker entered this port complex in November 1960. It was a radical plan for which two villages (Nieuwesluis and Blankenburg) and a nature conservation area (De Beer) had to be sacrificed. The 15 kilometre long Europoort complex was implemented in three phases. The part closest to the sea was constructed first. This was followed by the 4th Petroleumhaven. Then came the eastern section with the link to the sea, the Caland canal. And finally the middle section was constructed. The Hartel canal was excavated to provide a link between Europoort and the hinterland for barge traffic.

The demand for industrial sites was also connected with the establishment of the chemical industry in the area. This industry began to process vast quantities of the raw materials imported into Rotterdam by sea-going ships. This was the basis of what was to become the world's biggest oil industry complex.

1962: The biggest port in the world

In 1962 Rotterdam received a telegram of congratulations from the director of the Port of New York Authority, announcing that Rotterdam was now the biggest port in the world. Maritime transshipment then amounted to 96 million tonnes.

1969: Deepening the Nieuwe Waterweg

Not only the harbour basins but also the access channel needed to be adapted to the steady increase in the size of ships. A number of oil companies had named a depth of up to 62 feet as a condition for investment in the Waterweg area. Following permission by the government, dredging work began. The project was completed in December 1969 when the first 62-footer (the Shell tanker "Melo") entered the port. The 62-foot depth was not the end however. In 1971 the channel was made suitable for ships of up to 65 feet and in 1975 for ships up to 68 feet. The channel has in the meantime been deepened to 72 feet.

1967: The start of containerisation

In the mid-sixties, a container transshipment company (ECT) was established in Eemhaven, set up by a number of Rotterdam stevedores at the instigation of the Municipal Port Management. In 1967 the first containership, the US Fairland with 226 containers on board, called at this terminal. It was a first for Rotterdam since it was the first transatlantic crossing by a containership.

1970-1985: Construction of the Maasvlakte

The Maasvlakte, the most westerly port complex, differed from previous projects in that it was not a case of converting land into water, but water into land. At this location, just off the coast, lay a sandbank which was raised to the desired height with 170 million m3 sand from elsewhere in the port. The construction of the Maasvlakte extended the total area of the port of Rotterdam by 3000 hectares to 10,000 hectares. On the north side of the new port area an oil terminal was set up in which the different oil companies jointly participated. To the south, in Mississippihaven, came an ore and coal transshipment company. The container transshipment company ECT followed in 1984 with the construction of a new terminal.

1985-1996: Further growth and distribution

Container handling on the Maasvlakte increased at a rapid tempo. In 1985 container transshipment totalled 2.7 million TEU (1 TEU = 20 feet container), while ten years later this number had doubled. Rotterdam acquired the same dominant position in Europe for containers as it already had for bulk cargo. Over the years Rotterdam's percentage in the Hamburg-Le Havre range remained constant at 40-42%. In order to strengthen its position as European mainport, three Distriparks were built from 1992 onwards. Globally operating companies can concentrate their European distribution activities at these locations. The last Distripark, next to the ECT container terminal on the Maasvlakte, will be opened at the end of 1996.
 

Fuente:
Port of Rotterdam
http://www.port.rotterdam.nl


Última actualització:14 de Junio de 2002