The positive decision moves the project away from parliament and into the hands of the port authority and local, regional and national authorities, who will now focus on the land reclamation.
Environmental Impact Reports for the construction and use of Maasvlakte 2 are scheduled to be completed by the start of 2007 and a number of spatial planning and licensing procedures must be completed before construction can begin in 2008, with the first ship docking in 2013.
Boskalis/Van Oord and Jan de Nul/Dredging International are the two consortia competing for the construction of Maasvlakte 2. The Port Authority has said that it expects to conclude a contract with one by mid- 2007.
APM Terminals was confirmed as operator for one the container terminals earlier this year and there is an open tender process in progress for another 138-hectare container terminal. The port authority has confirmed that five consortia of shipping companies and stevedores are in the running for that terminal.