Rail development vital for ports

The port was reflecting on the contribution of rail to port development, ten years after the opening of the Betuweroute railway line, which runs from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Germany.

Ronald Paul, chief operating officer (COO) of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, said: “A port is as good as its connections with the hinterland. That is why the Betuwe Route has proven a very sound investment in our view. It enables us to continue developing as a port, but it also allows us to shift transport from roads to rail. Not just the port of Rotterdam, but the entire Dutch economy benefits from this: less congestion, less nuisance for residents along the existing railway, more sustainable transport and more room in our railway network for passenger transport.”

Development of rail is deemed important because The Netherlands is the only country in Europe that has a dedicated cargo transport railway line.

Every year around 50,000 trains use the port section of the Betuweroute, the Havenspoorlijn, and in 2016 it transported 10.4% of all the containers that left the Port of Rotterdam.

Mr Paul said now that a substantial share of the port’s cargo is transported inland by rail, it is important to clear any obstacles standing in the way of further growth by minimising operating costs and ensuring the German continuation of the Betuweroute, currently delayed due to permit issues for various route sections, is fully up to standard.