‘Without these materials, everything would grind to a halt’
They are in phones, power sockets, your watch battery and the screen you are looking at right now. Without us even realising it, critical materials underpin almost everything we use. Yet we rarely stop to think about them. Eva Verschoor believes that needs to change.
As Program Director Critical Minerals at the Port of Rotterdam Authority, she works on the invisible layer of our economy. ‘They are in almost everything,’ she says. ‘From batteries to windmills, and from computer chips to your electric bike.’ Critical materials are nothing new. They have been used for years and have been entering through the port for decades. What is new, however, is the context. Many of these materials come from countries that have invested across the entire supply chain in recent decades, from mining and refining to processing, as China has done. So that means that if those countries see reason to do so, they can restrict Europe's access to these crucial materials. ‘Suddenly it’s about medical equipment or the energy transition that could grind to a halt.’ The COVID-19 pandemic brought that into sharp focus, and with increasing geopolitical tensions, supply lines are increasingly vulnerable to disruption. This has only reinforced the urgency of Eva's work: strengthening security of supply.
Strengthening supply chains
Together with her team, she is developing a strategy to strengthen the resilience of European raw material supply chains and position Rotterdam as a leading hub for critical materials in Europe. ‘To improve security of supply, there are various actions you can take at critical points in the chain. For example, by becoming involved earlier in the chain through refining and processing, by working with logistics partners in the middle of the chain on things like strategic stockpiling, and by organising value-adding facilities closer to home.’ She looks at international collaboration, but also processing, trade and logistics: ‘If you are at the end of the supply chain, you have less control. So we're moving further along in the chain. That puts us in a stronger position.’ But a resilient supply chain also requires attention to the later stages of the chain: retaining, reusing, recycling and recovering materials actually gives Europe and Rotterdam additional strategic strength.
‘If you are at the end of the supply chain, you have less control. So we're moving further along in the chain. That puts us in a stronger position.’
Beyond Rotterdam
She looks beyond Rotterdam itself. Her work operates across multiple levels, and that is precisely what makes it complex. And interesting. Internationally, she builds relationships with countries where raw materials originate, with a focus on fair and sustainable collaboration. At European level, she works on strategic autonomy and coordination with Brussels. Nationally, she aligns her work with policies and priorities. And regionally, she looks at the specific possibilities in and around Rotterdam. She moves seamlessly between these different spheres: ‘You can't do this work from a single perspective. You have to understand what's happening across the entire chain, at every level. And that's only possible if you go out and talk to people.’
Energy from people
What helps her do this is her enjoyment of networking. The moment when ideas come together and something new emerges. The feeling that you are not just working on a plan, but contributing to a shared movement. ‘I really come alive in those moments when you feel: there is something here. That you identify opportunities together with others and choose to act on them.’ That ability to connect with people started early on for her. Laughing, she recalls her student days and how a chance encounter at a gym eventually led to an interview with Bolivia’s former president.
Global citizen
She sees herself as a global citizen. Eva has lived and worked in countries including Bolivia and Nicaragua. In Panama, where she worked for the Dutch embassy, she saw vessels pass through the canal every day. There, she gained an appreciation of the scale and significance of global trade. And of the role that Rotterdam plays in it. ‘That's when the penny dropped. I saw how everything comes together in a port. The connection with the world, and the impact you can make. That's when I knew: that was where I wanted to work.’ When she welcomed employees from the port of Rotterdam, she asked what it would take to work for the Port of Rotterdam Authority. She made a plan. In 2024, she achieved her goal. ‘It was very clear to me: I wanted to go to Rotterdam. Because this is where it happens.’ What started as a role as a business manager soon evolved into her current role as program director. ‘I get to bring it all together. That's where my strength lies.’
Personal motivation
Behind her professional ambition lies an equally strong personal motivation. Eva was adopted from India as a baby. She speaks openly about it. ‘I see my adoption as an act of love. My birth mother gave me up because she was unable to care for me herself, and she wanted to give me a better future. I carry that awareness with me every day.’ Her adoption gives her strength: it is the source of her ambition and desire to make a contribution. ‘If I had grown up there, my life would have been very different. It has taught me to always look at how I can make the most of the opportunities I am given.’
It starts with yourself
That awareness also plays a central role in her message. Because when it comes to critical materials, she believes change does not start only with policy or industry, but with ourselves as well. ‘We use so many things without thinking about them. Everything we buy comes from somewhere. Behind it are stories, but also impact. New mines, raw materialsthat have to come from somewhere. That awareness is often lacking.’ She wants people to reflect on that. ‘Don't simply treat things as disposable. Take a moment to think. Where does it come from? What does it mean that you're using it now?’ She emphasises, ‘Try to look differently at what seems obvious.’ She tries to apply this awareness in her own life. Throw away less, reuse more, think carefully about what you buy. Especially now that she is a mother. ‘My daughter mainly wears second-hand clothes, and we have consciously chosen to have as many sustainable toys in our home as possible.’ She continues, ‘As a parent, you have a responsibility. What are you passing on? What kind of world are you leaving behind?’ It is a call that goes beyond consumption. ‘It's about awareness, about transparency in supply chains, about recognising that our behaviour has an impact, even when we do not see it immediately.’
Playing the long game
The programme she is working on does not deliver quick results. These are developments that take years, sometimes decades. The horizon extends towards 2050. ‘But that does mean you have to start today.’ She acknowledges that this can be challenging at times. Processes take time: permits, coordination between different parties. The pace is not always fast enough for Eva. But giving up is not an option. ‘You have to keep pushing. Keep believing it's possible. Because if you don't, nothing will happen at all.’
It requires a different way of thinking. It requires patience, perseverance and the ability to keep going, even when progress is slow. ‘It's sometimes frustrating, but that is precisely why it is needed.’ At the same time, she often finds joy in the small moments along the way. In seeing a team grow as it works together towards the same goal. What started as an initiative driven by Eva alone has grown into a widely supported programme. ‘Then you look around and think: this is what we have built together. That is something I find truly special.’ She is convinced that we need each other to move this forward. She therefore makes an appeal: ‘I hope people reading this know where to find me. So that we can work together towards the future.’
What we pass on
For Eva, everything ultimately comes down to one question: what are we leaving behind? Looking ahead, she hopes above all for a world that is safer and more connected. A world where we think not only in terms of economic growth, but also of responsibility and collaboration. And perhaps even more importantly: a world where we better understand what we use. ‘It doesn't have to be perfect. But think about it. Consider where things come from and what that means. Because ultimately, it is not about what we have, but what we pass on.’ She continues, ‘Just like my birth mother — and I say that very deliberately — you are not remembered for what you have, but for the future you try to protect.’