Rotterdam is the mainport of European container transport. With an average of about 9.7 million TEU passing through the port each year, Rotterdam by far outstrips all the other ports in Europe.

Rotterdam owes its position as European container mainport to a vast number of factors, such as:

• excellent accessibility, also for the most recent generations of container ships; 
  nautical safety; 
• dedicated terminal facilities, both on the landside and the waterside; 
• European transport hub function; 
• Excellent hinterland connections, especially via inland vessel, short sea/feeder and rail; for more information click Transport 
• possibilities for expansion and setting up new operations; 
• fast turnaround times; 
• attractive location for bunkering, among other things as a result of competitive tariffs      

Feeder services are integrated with intercontinental deep sea traffic
The port has no draft limitations and can accommodate both current and future larger-scale container vessels, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Many deep sea shipping lines opt for Rotterdam as their first and / or last port of call in Europe. And use it as their feedering hub for the UK, the Baltic and the Iberian peninsula. Efficient interfaces with all important modalities ensure efficient hinterland transport.

European distribution
The port is more than just a link in the logistics chain. The intercontinental services of almost all of the major mega-carriers include Rotterdam. For many shipping companies, Rotterdam is both the first and last port of call in Europe. In addition, Rotterdam offers a tailor-made approach for all containerized cargo. Whether it’s pre-transport and post-transport, the handling of Customs formalities or the processing of cargo in the Distriparks…a comprehensive range of specialized government bodies and service providers facilitates your product.

Reefer containers
Increasing volumes of fresh fruit, vegetables and fruit juices are being transhipped in containers. This means that reefer containers filled with fruit, vegetables and fruit juices always reach their final destination in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Rotterdam has roughly 7,000 reefer points and has about 2,5 million cubic meters cold storage.

New top location for containers
With Maasvlakte 2, the port of Rotterdam will in the near future offer companies a new top location at the heart of the European market. The land reclamation scheme entails roughly 1000 hectares net of new company sites and has among other things been earmarked for container-related activities. With the construction of Maasvlakte 2, the surface area of the current port and industrial complex will increase by 20 percent. This means that the capacity for the handling of containers in the port area will triple. And this space is urgently needed: the handling of containers alone last year increased by 4,3  percent from 9.3 million TEU (2005) to 9,7 million TEU (2006).

The construction of Maasvlakte 2 will enable Rotterdam to in coming decades maintain and further expand its leading position in Europe. With Maasvlakte 2, Rotterdam offers first-rate facilities for the handling of shipping traffic, good safety levels and excellent hinterland connections with a wide choice of lines and service providers.