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Second Maasvlakte becomes reality |
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The port of Rotterdam has started on 1 September 2008 with the development of the Second Maasvlakte, after 15 years of planning and discussions with all involved stakeholders. The new Maasvlakte will extend the port of Rotterdam with 1000 Hectare, or about 20%. This will allow for the future growth of the port. The total cost for development is estimated at Euro 3 billion. The plan is that in 2013 the first ships will dock here. Due to its position, it will be able to handle the biggest class of container vessels in the world. There is a lot of demand for this new area: 40% has already been rented to customers. The development of this new port area is certainly not without questions.The environmental impact of such a big development can not be neglected. It is therefore the intention to make this the most sustainable port in the world, which means that there are clear agreements with the tenants on sustainability and that the emphasis for the hinterland connections is on barge and rail: in 2035 maximum 35% can be transported via the road. The coming 25 years, the eco system will be monitored to see if all agreements are indeed followed as intended and whether or not they should be amended. For this reason, a collaboration contract has been closed between the port, the government, the tenants and 4 environmental parties. To follow the construction process, the visitor centre ‘Future land’ will be opening beginning 2009. For more information, check the website: www.maasvlakte2.com. Picture: Havenbedrijf Rotterdam N.V., Projectorganisatie Maasvlakte 2.
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