Is it twelve years after the opening of the Second Maasvlakte that it is already time for a new expansion of the Port of Rotterdam? South Holland politicians are advocating this, but are encountering resistance from nature groups and fishermen. The discussion broke out at a conference on Monday.
Given all the gloomy news about the difficult times for industry, you might not think so, but the Port of Rotterdam is struggling with a lack of space. Space is needed for the sustainable activities that will soon replace the fossil activities, but the port has little land left to give away.
The Rotterdam city council therefore adopted a motion last month: “Realize the Third Maasvlakte.” The Provincial Council of South Holland is also calling for this possibility to be explored quickly. That is why the province organized a conference on the theme on Monday.
In the Province House, the question is actually central whether it is useful to start an investigation into a seaward expansion of the port. But it soon becomes clear that many attendees are thinking a few steps further. Such as the chemical industry in the port, which expects to need more space if fuels, plastics and other products have to be made sustainably in the future.
“We think this direction is really necessary,” says Anne-Marie Spierings of interest group Deltalinqs. Although she says thorough research still needs to be done. “It is very good that we are now entering that phase and putting a good foundation under it.”
VVD deputy Arne Weverling mainly says he wants to talk to all stakeholders, but also hints at which direction the port should take, according to him: seaward. “Let’s use our imagination again with a bit of future orientation and say: ‘We can do something together’,” he says. “Let’s not think too much about the short term and try to have a plan for where we need to be in 2035.”
Port Authority sees three variants
The port sees it as an option to grow further into the North Sea, but does not yet know whether the time has come to actually take that step. Accelerated research into this is needed, says René van der Plas of the Port of Rotterdam. He wants a decision to be made in two years.
The fact that the port sees the Third Maasvlakte as a serious option is evident from the fact that Van der Plas has already included three possible variants in his presentation. This frees up between 400 and 1,000 hectares. The effect on nature, the nitrogen crisis and the availability of sufficient sand are possible bottlenecks, the port manager believes.
Nature compensation not well arranged
Nature organizations are critical. In fact, it is impossible to talk about a Third Maasvlakte with Natuurmonumenten for the time being, says Anneklaar Wijnants. Because the nature compensation that was agreed seventeen years ago during the construction of the Second Maasvlakte has still not been properly implemented.
A large part of the North Sea would be left alone to compensate for the loss of underwater nature. But the area ultimately remained accessible to part of the fishery. The judge ordered the government and the Port Authority in 2022 to hurry up with better plans.
These are still not available. “The party that needs to take action – I don’t know where it is. That is the ministry,” says Marion Gout-van Sinderen, chairman of the consultation on nature compensation. The plan that BBB State Secretary Jean Rummenie (Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature) has put on the table “means far too little for nature,” says Wijnants. “We cannot support that and it will not receive approval from Europe either.”
Director-General Mark Roscam Abbing of the Ministry of Agriculture confirms during the conference “that a decision must be made” about nature compensation. The same applies, according to him, to the nitrogen crisis that is hindering construction projects such as the Third Maasvlakte. “That also requires a number of people in politics to overcome their own shadows,” he says without naming names.
‘I’m going to call the minister’
Anton Dekker of the Dutch Fishermen’s Association is also critical of the possible plans for an expansion of the Port of Rotterdam. Like Wijnants of Natuurmonumenten, he emphasizes how special the Voordelta is, but as a source of food. “That will be completely ruined with these plans.”
Yet most people in the room seem to think that the loss of nature and fishing grounds does not have to stand in the way of the construction of the Third Maasvlakte. Dekker even gets the question from the audience what compensation the fishermen want, “since this is going to happen anyway.”
“I already felt that a little, yes,” he responds. But according to him, the fishing industry is already under pressure due to the rapid expansion of wind farms in the North Sea, so he has no answer.
At the end of the afternoon, those present are surveyed to see if they are enthusiastic about the research into a Third Maasvlakte. It leads to an almost North Korean result: 86 percent are (very) enthusiastic. “I am going to call the minister that there is work to be done,” concludes deputy Weverling.