The two largest ports in the Netherlands, Port of Amsterdam and Port of Rotterdam, have renewed their partnership agreement by another five years. The agreement, which the partners entered into in 2010, is set to expire this year. The two ports are satisfied with the successful alliance, which has resulted, among other things, in the recent launch of the HaMIS shared information system in Amsterdam.
The two ports intend to explore other areas for cooperation and believe there are opportunities at the operational and strategic levels to improve efficiency and customer convenience. They have signed a letter of intent to formalise their plans.
Port of Rotterdam CEO Allard Castelein: “This partnership enables us to create value for our ports while at the same time improving the international competitive position of the Netherlands.”
“Our joint efforts will benefit our customers: by aligning our systems and processes, we can offer them more value for their money”, Port of Amsterdam CEO Dertje Meijer commented.
As part of the 2010 agreement, the two partners set out their intention to investigate opportunities for a shared port management system. The plans for this system, known as HaMIS, came to fruition, and it is currently fully operational in both ports. The ports will use the shared system to further align port processes and laws and regulations, including for the disposal of ship waste. Other areas the two port authorities intend to investigate for their added value include port infrastructure, purchasing (including the joint procurement of products and services); information management (e.g. the detection of inland vessels and pushed barges); and increasing the appeal of railway transport. The ports also see opportunities for cooperation and exchange in areas such as sustainability and the environment, innovation, human resources and legal affairs, and interest representation.