The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment has announced that it is to expand the Maasgeul to prevent waiting times for ships entering the Port of Rotterdam, Port Technology reports.
The North Sea navigation channel is the only access route for sea-going ships that have a draft of more than 14.3 meters.
With an increasing number of larger ships using Rotterdam as its port of call the government agency feel the widening of the route is essential.
The Maasgeul is 6 miles long and currently 500 to 600 meters wide, and is set to be widened by a further 240 meters by the summer of this year.
Harbour master René de Vries announced the news during a presentation of the nautical annual figures for Rotterdam for 2011.
De Vries also used the meeting to put forward his case for more national and international legislation for the use of LNG as a fuel for both sea-going ships and inland shipping.
“Research shows that LNG provides an opportunity to make inland shipping and ocean shipping more sustainable with financial gains,” he said.
The North Sea navigation channel is the only access route for sea-going ships that have a draft of more than 14.3 meters.
With an increasing number of larger ships using Rotterdam as its port of call the government agency feel the widening of the route is essential.
The Maasgeul is 6 miles long and currently 500 to 600 meters wide, and is set to be widened by a further 240 meters by the summer of this year.
Harbour master René de Vries announced the news during a presentation of the nautical annual figures for Rotterdam for 2011.
De Vries also used the meeting to put forward his case for more national and international legislation for the use of LNG as a fuel for both sea-going ships and inland shipping.
“Research shows that LNG provides an opportunity to make inland shipping and ocean shipping more sustainable with financial gains,” he said.