Due to the immediate location at and the open connection with the North Sea, Rotterdam is one of the most accessible ports in Europe. The terminals at the Maasvlakte can be reached within one or two hours from the pilot station.

The port of Rotterdam is deep enough to accommodate the largest vessels in the world, such as mammoth tankers, ore carriers and container vessels. Off the coast, in the North Sea, the Eurogeul has been dug for this purpose. The Eurogeul has a depth of 23 meters and is 57 kilometers long. Maasvlakte 2 will shortly be accessible for the container ships of the future. With a depth of 20 metres, the port is accessible for container ships which are unable to berth in other European ports.

In the port itself, the Nieuwe Waterweg (New Waterway), the Calandkanaal and the Hartelkanaal have been dug. The Calandkanaal is suitable for the largest deep-draught ships and offers access to the Maasvlakte and the Europoort area. The Nieuwe Waterweg leads to the other port areas, which are located more inland.

By dredging, the fairway, the river and the port basins are kept at the proper depth. This is done by order of the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Public Works).