The Port of Rotterdam Authority is positive about the coalition agreement approved by SPD and B90/Die Grünen last week in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). ‘The coalition agreement offers various starting points to further intensify cooperation between NRW and Rotterdam in the coming years. Our interests and our visions run largely in parallel, particularly concerning making industry sustainable, strengthening logistics between NRW and its most important sea port, and stimulating inland shipping,’ stated Hans Smits, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Logistics
The coalition agreement advocates a new logistical scheme for NRW, partly to efficiently handle freight streams between Rotterdam and NRW. According to the agreement, inland shipping in particular will play a significant role in efficient and sustainable transport. The Port Authority is pleased to contribute ideas to this. The Port Authority sees improvements in infrastructure, realising multimodal hubs and the construction of the third railway from the Betuwe Route between Emmerich and Oberhausen as being particularly important developments. Any form of congestion charging for inland shipping is considered by the Port Authority to be counter-productive. Efficient logistics between NRW and Rotterdam ensure that the business world in NRW can better compete on world markets.
Industry
The coalition agreement also aims for industry renewal and making this more sustainable. The stated objectives are in line with those of the Rotterdam Port Vision 2030. That is why the Port of Rotterdam is also seeking to connect with the 'Alliance modern industry', named in the coalition agreement, which intends to be a platform for all relevant industry players. One of the issues in this as far as Rotterdam is concerned is the security of supply of raw materials and energy. In addition, Rotterdam is working on pilot projects for CCS and also sees possibilities in NRW to capture CO2 released during electricity generation and chemical processes, and then re-use this or store it in empty gas fields the North Sea. Here too, cross-border cooperation can lead to mutual advantages.
