This week, the Port of Rotterdam Authority will present its plans for a new terminal for dry bulk to the international producers and consumers of industrial minerals. They will be meeting with each other and logistical service providers during the trade fair ‘Industrial Minerals’ that will take place in Athens from Monday to Wednesday.
According to the plans, the terminal will be situated in the ‘Hartelstrook’ on the Maasvlakte. Approximately one third of this location, which was created in part through land reclamation, will be reserved for a dry dock terminal. The new terminal will have a surface area of 12 hectares: 200 metres wide, with 600 metres of quay. The maximum draught is 16 metres. A rail connection is also a possibility, with the Betuwe Route running right next to the location. The new terminal is expected to come into operation in the second half of 2010.
For the operation of the terminal, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is currently in negotiations with Van Uden Stevedoring, which currently has a terminal at Merwehaven, an area which has been earmarked for future urban development.
The European Union is a highly industrialised part of the world. Therefore, raw materials supply is of key importance for the competitive position of many industrial sectors.
For geological reasons the world distribution of non-energy resources is very uneven. Europe lacks specific raw materials and has to compete for them on world markets. Now that commodity prices are rising, there is a greater awareness that the European industry is dependent on imports. In the case of metallic minerals like iron ore, Europe’s capacity to provide in its own supply through domestic extraction is very limited. For construction minerals (in particular aggregates), Europe is self-sufficient. For certain industrial minerals such as feldspar, kaolin, magnesite, gypsum and potash, the EU continues to be an important producer. However, the EU extraction industry is under pressure. For most member states, the provision of minerals has a low priority and the industry has an impact on the environment. Therefore the minerals extracting industry faces land-use constraints (“the license to operate”).
Limiting the EU supply will not diminish demand, thus increasing overseas imports. Trade in industrial minerals has grown. In 2004 extra-EU imports of industrial minerals amounted to 23.7 million tonnes. However, rapidly developing countries like China and India are also hungry for raw materials. This has implications on trade. One example is that the Chinese government discourages exports of its raw minerals with export duties on important industrial minerals. European users of these materials will have to look for other sources. Intra European trade, for instance with Turkey, is on the rise.
Given the growing import dependency of the EU industry, logistics play an increasingly important role. In the logistic chain from supplier tot consumer, ports are a vital link. The port is an important link in the logistics chain from producer to end-user. Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe for the import of iron ore and coal.
Also for minerals and other dry bulk, Rotterdam is the European gateway. Minerals handled in the port are for instance magnesite, ilmenite, concentrates, bauxite and alumina, vermiculite, feldspar and kaolin. Other dry bulk includes e.g. aggregates, pig iron and (calcined) pet coke. With a volume of more than 12 million tons, Rotterdam has a market share of 25 percent for all overseas imports and exports in Western Europe.
However, this figure is an underestimation because a growing part of minerals flows is transported in containers. Especially high value minerals in sacks or big bags are transported in freight containers.
As is well known, Rotterdam is the largest container port in Europe.
The accessibility of the port of Rotterdam is unrivalled. No other port in Europe can guarantee the same unrestricted deep-water facilities, unhampered by locks or tides.Therefore, the more common handy size vessels are no problem at all.
When entering the port a number of specialised terminals and facilities meet all requirements regarding transhipment, contamination-free covered and open storage. As well, as value added activities and distribution. These companies offer high discharge rates leading to quick turn-around times. Not insignificant, given the high freight and charter tariffs these days.
Another strong point is the ship-to-ship transhipment provided for by floating cranes. Besides land-based terminals, the port of Rotterdam offers several buoys and dolphins for the ship-to-ship transhipment of dry bulk cargo. The Port of Rotterdam Authority manages the utilisation of these public facilities. A number of private companies provide floating equipment and transhipment services. The available draft of the buoys and dolphins varies from about 11,65m up to 20,90m.
While transhipment of industrial minerals in Rotterdam has grown on average by an annual 6 percent in this decade, room for further growth is becoming more difficult. Therefore, the Port of Rotterdam is more than pleased to announce the planning of a new dry bulk facility.
Finally, the port has excellent hinterland connections. Very good alternatives for road transport are inland shipping and rail transport. Since 2007 the Betuwe Route is operational, a unique dedicated freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany.
All ensure the optimal transportation of the raw materials to the various industries in the hinterland.
To conclude, whatever the developments in the trade and transport of (industrial) minerals might be the Port of Rotterdam is prepared to meet all challenges and will continue to serve the minerals industry.
According to the plans, the terminal will be situated in the ‘Hartelstrook’ on the Maasvlakte. Approximately one third of this location, which was created in part through land reclamation, will be reserved for a dry dock terminal. The new terminal will have a surface area of 12 hectares: 200 metres wide, with 600 metres of quay. The maximum draught is 16 metres. A rail connection is also a possibility, with the Betuwe Route running right next to the location. The new terminal is expected to come into operation in the second half of 2010.
For the operation of the terminal, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is currently in negotiations with Van Uden Stevedoring, which currently has a terminal at Merwehaven, an area which has been earmarked for future urban development.
The European Union is a highly industrialised part of the world. Therefore, raw materials supply is of key importance for the competitive position of many industrial sectors.
For geological reasons the world distribution of non-energy resources is very uneven. Europe lacks specific raw materials and has to compete for them on world markets. Now that commodity prices are rising, there is a greater awareness that the European industry is dependent on imports. In the case of metallic minerals like iron ore, Europe’s capacity to provide in its own supply through domestic extraction is very limited. For construction minerals (in particular aggregates), Europe is self-sufficient. For certain industrial minerals such as feldspar, kaolin, magnesite, gypsum and potash, the EU continues to be an important producer. However, the EU extraction industry is under pressure. For most member states, the provision of minerals has a low priority and the industry has an impact on the environment. Therefore the minerals extracting industry faces land-use constraints (“the license to operate”).
Limiting the EU supply will not diminish demand, thus increasing overseas imports. Trade in industrial minerals has grown. In 2004 extra-EU imports of industrial minerals amounted to 23.7 million tonnes. However, rapidly developing countries like China and India are also hungry for raw materials. This has implications on trade. One example is that the Chinese government discourages exports of its raw minerals with export duties on important industrial minerals. European users of these materials will have to look for other sources. Intra European trade, for instance with Turkey, is on the rise.
Given the growing import dependency of the EU industry, logistics play an increasingly important role. In the logistic chain from supplier tot consumer, ports are a vital link. The port is an important link in the logistics chain from producer to end-user. Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe for the import of iron ore and coal.
Also for minerals and other dry bulk, Rotterdam is the European gateway. Minerals handled in the port are for instance magnesite, ilmenite, concentrates, bauxite and alumina, vermiculite, feldspar and kaolin. Other dry bulk includes e.g. aggregates, pig iron and (calcined) pet coke. With a volume of more than 12 million tons, Rotterdam has a market share of 25 percent for all overseas imports and exports in Western Europe.
However, this figure is an underestimation because a growing part of minerals flows is transported in containers. Especially high value minerals in sacks or big bags are transported in freight containers.
As is well known, Rotterdam is the largest container port in Europe.
The accessibility of the port of Rotterdam is unrivalled. No other port in Europe can guarantee the same unrestricted deep-water facilities, unhampered by locks or tides.Therefore, the more common handy size vessels are no problem at all.
When entering the port a number of specialised terminals and facilities meet all requirements regarding transhipment, contamination-free covered and open storage. As well, as value added activities and distribution. These companies offer high discharge rates leading to quick turn-around times. Not insignificant, given the high freight and charter tariffs these days.
Another strong point is the ship-to-ship transhipment provided for by floating cranes. Besides land-based terminals, the port of Rotterdam offers several buoys and dolphins for the ship-to-ship transhipment of dry bulk cargo. The Port of Rotterdam Authority manages the utilisation of these public facilities. A number of private companies provide floating equipment and transhipment services. The available draft of the buoys and dolphins varies from about 11,65m up to 20,90m.
While transhipment of industrial minerals in Rotterdam has grown on average by an annual 6 percent in this decade, room for further growth is becoming more difficult. Therefore, the Port of Rotterdam is more than pleased to announce the planning of a new dry bulk facility.
Finally, the port has excellent hinterland connections. Very good alternatives for road transport are inland shipping and rail transport. Since 2007 the Betuwe Route is operational, a unique dedicated freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany.
All ensure the optimal transportation of the raw materials to the various industries in the hinterland.
To conclude, whatever the developments in the trade and transport of (industrial) minerals might be the Port of Rotterdam is prepared to meet all challenges and will continue to serve the minerals industry.