Zeevaart

The decision to invest in Rotterdam was made because Rotterdam offers major benefits due its depth, access to sales markets in the Benelux and Germany, and the integration between various industries. As a result it is possible for us to procure services more efficiently and to achieve many logistics benefits.

The port of Rotterdam is healthy and from this position of strength the Port Authority and companies work hard to stay competitive in the future in environmentally-aware ways. This requires the right balance between investments and cost control. Investments to support new activities and to continue to develop the port’s infrastructure. Cost control in order to keep the port attractive to existing companies. For a refinery, the playing field is international, and the predictable and moderate evolution of costs is of major importance in order to stay competitive.

Government plays a key role in the port’s investment climate. Legislation in the Netherlands is far more stringent in certain areas than in surrounding countries. We cannot afford this. There must be a level playing field. This is, for example, currently the case in terms of the directives concerning the storage of hazardous substances (PGS29), the rules for exposure to hazardous substances and the standards for NOx emissions. The rules that are currently being proposed will not result in a higher level of safety or better health for our people or the environment, but they do create additional costs that affect the competitive position of the companies in our port. In our view, this cannot possibly be the desired way forward.
Let us jointly, that is companies and governments, ensure that the port of Rotterdam stays attractive to industry, so that the port will continue to attract investments such as ours.