The sustainable port

Colophon

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Port of Rotterdam Authority

Project Organization Maasvlakte 2

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Project Organization Maasvlakte 2

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Date of publication

May 2008

The sustainable port

FOREWORD

‘Create your own future’. For me,

this slogan, which we used to attract

new container companies to the

area, captures the essence of the

Maasvlakte 2 project. In an

economic sense, the expansion is

crucial for maintaining Rotterdam’s

current status as a leading

world-class port. Doing nothing

would jeopardise the future of the

dock area and those who depend on

it. We hope to retain full control over

our own future. At the same time,

we are aware of the degree to which

we draw on the quality of life for

future generations. We will be

intervening in local nature and

introducing extra economic activity.

This will have an environmental

impact on an area that up to now did

not accommodate any port activities.

That is why we have made a

conscious, unambiguous investment

in sustainable development, in an

expansion that has a strong focus

on quality of life and good working

conditions, both now and in the

future. What we have already

learnt at this stage is that there is

no reason why environmental

benefits and economic

developments cannot go hand in

hand. Furthermore, our choice for

sustainability results in innovative

solutions as well as cost savings.

A new, exceptionally accessible port

area of 2,000 ha will be constructed

in the North Sea. Our first

compensation for this new

development will be a seabed

protection area of some 25,000 ha

as well as resting areas for protected

birds and seals. The second

compensation measure is the

development of a 35-ha new dune

area. Furthermore, in each stage

of the project – be it design,

construction and planning or area

operation – we have opted for the

most economic solution, while at

the same time taking care to

minimise negative effects on

sustainability.

This booklet will provide you with

information on our approach in

concrete terms. It is essentially a

concise summary of two extremely

extensive environmental impact

assessment reports of over 6,000

pages. Our environmental study

is the most exhaustive and

groundbreaking of its kind to date.

Naturally, it complies with all present

and forecast national and

international guidelines. And in

many areas, we go one step further.

You may wonder what we do in

concrete terms. Let me give a few

examples: in the design stage, we

chose the most compact option;

by 2033, the share of inland shipping

and rail in container transport needs

to be increased substantially;

chemical plants need to use each

other’s residual heat and we will

clean up local air by barring polluting

trucks from the area and fitting

inland vessels with cleaner engines.

We have already made concrete

environmental agreements with

various parties on these points and

we will be able to keep them to them.

We will continually measure whether

the expected environmental effects

will actually materialise in the course

of construction and operation. And if

so required, we will adjust our plans

for the benefit of the environment.

The various stakeholders can keep

us to this promise.

Maasvlakte 2 has the ambition

to become the most sustainable

dock area in the world. We are

happy to assume this pioneering

role in order to set a new standard

with Maasvlakte 2 for the sustainable

and economically fruitful evelopment

of dock and industrial areas. That’s

the beauty of a new piece of land in

the sea: it offers all the space we

need for sustainable innovation.

Ronald Paul

Managing Director

Project Organization Maasvlakte 2

WHY IT’S NECESSARY New land, a necessary condition for growth page 6

1

DUAL OBJECTIVE Economic growth and improved quality of life page 8

2

SUSTAINABILITY AND DIALOGUE Sustainability and consultation as the connecting themes page 12

3

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION Seabed protection area and dunes page 16

4

EXTRA NATURE AND RECREATION AREASMore room for people, flora and fauna page 18

THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES The EIA reports: extensive, exhaustive, and innovative page 22

6

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN What is the optimum shape for Maasvlakte 2? page 26

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Eco-friendly sand extraction and land reclamation page 32

8

SUSTAINABLE PLANNING Innovative multifunctional outer and inner contours page 36

Hard sea wall

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Cycle track Pipeline corridor

Gran

ting

limit

(Eur

omax

)

1x2 lanes + hard shoulder

NAPNAPNAP

Secondary road 1x2 lanes Internal lane

5.0023.207.0019.2010.0066.204.00

1 : 4

9

SUSTAINABLE OPERATION Reserved for companies with a sustainable business approach page 40

SUSTAINABLE USEWhat about energy, process technology, air quality, light, and noise? page 48

11

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT Overland haulage, shipping, rail transport, and material page 52

12

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND CORRECTIONS Continuous monitoring of environmental quality page 56

6

WHY IT’S NECESSARY

New land, a necessary condition for growth

The port of Rotterdam is by

far the largest port in Europe.

Thanks to its location directly on

the North Sea and its deep water

docks, Rotterdam is one of the

few European ports in which the

largest seagoing vessels can

safely load and unload 24 hours

a day. Some 35,000 seagoing

vessels and 135,000 inland

vessels call on the port every

year. The Rotterdam port has

steadily expanded over the last

few decades, but at present, it

has more or less reached the

limits of this growth: the existing

port area no longer offers

sufficient room for large new

container terminals and chemical

clusters. It has therefore become

necessary to expand the port

area. For this reason, the

Maasvlakte 2 project, which

is intended to strengthen the

position and quality of the

international hub of Rotterdam

as the prime logistic centre of

the Netherlands, was started up

as long ago as in 1997. The

development of new land in the

North Sea will allow the port to

continue to grow in the future.

The sustainable further expansion

of a port and industrial complex

that can be accessed from deep

water is important for both the

regional and national economy.

7

8

DUAL OBJECTIVE

The plans for the Maasvlakte 2

development have been laid

down in the Rotterdam Mainport

Development Project Key Physical

Planning Decision (PMR 2006).

The Port of Rotterdam Authority,

the Municipality of Rotterdam, the

regional organisation Stadsregio

Rotterdam, the Provinces of South

Holland and Zeeland and five

Dutch ministries have been working

in close partnership in the

Rotterdam Mainport Development

Project since 1997. The development

of Maasvlakte 2 focuses on a dual

objective:

• The reinforcement of the port

of Rotterdam’s position.

• The improvement of the

quality of life in the Rijnmond

region.

A healthy future for the port area

and a healthy living environment

are inextricably linked: economic

development and sustainability

go hand in hand. Indeed, in the

view of the Port Authority,

‘sustainable’ means secured for

the future: today’s investments

should not be at the expense

of the quality of life of future

generations.

By investing in sustainable

innovation, the Port Authority will

develop a new port and industrial

area in Maasvlakte 2 that is

based on the balance of

ecological, social, and economic

considerations.

Three Rotterdam Mainport

Development subprojects

In order to achieve this dual

objective, three subprojects were

Economic growth and improved quality of life

9

started up under the supervision of

the Dutch Minister of Transport,

Public Works and Water Manage-

ment. These subprojects are

inextricably linked to one another:

1. Maasvlakte 2: The sustainable

expansion of the Rotterdam port

with a 2,000-ha port and

industrial area, including the

realisation of the required

environmental compensation.

2. Existing Rotterdam Area: A plan

to utilise the existing port area

more efficiently and improve the

residential, living, and working

environments in the region.

3. The construction of new nature

and recreation areas with a total

surface area of 750 ha to the

south and north of Rotterdam.

Strict requirements for

Maasvlakte 2

The construction of Maasvlakte 2

is subject to the condition that the

area is designed, operated, and

managed in conformity with the

principles of a sustainable industrial

site. Naturally, this also involves

compliance with all existing

legislation and regulations at the

European, national, provincial, and

municipal level. The Dutch cabinet

and parliament have established

explicit requirements for the

following areas in the Rotterdam

Mainport Development Project

Key Physical Planning Decision

(2006 PMR):

• The space required for the

construction of the land

reclamation;

• The area in which the sand

extraction in the North Sea

can take place;

• The zoning of the industrial

activity tied to deep water on a

sustainably constructed,

designed, and operated land

reclamation area;

• The maximum negative

environmental impact and

other effects allowed on the

natural surroundings;

• The accessibility and security of

local shipping traffic, which should

be maintained at least at the

present high level at all times;

• The environmental compensation

measures, which will take the

form of an offshore seabed

protection area and a dune

compensation area.

Nature and recreation areas in

the region

Furthermore, apart from the dune

compensation project, three new

nature and recreation areas will be

developed in the direct vicinity of

Rotterdam within the context of the

Rotterdam Mainport Development

Project. The areas in question are

the Buytenland Landscape Park

(600 ha), located between the

municipalities of Albrandswaard

and Barendrecht, the Vlinderstrik

(100 ha) in the Zuidpolder, the

Schiebroekse Polder between

Rotterdam and Berkel en

Rodenrijs, and the Schiezone area

(50 ha) along the Schie between

Rotterdam and Delft. In the near

future, strollers and cyclists can

reach the Buytenland Landscape

Park in Albrandswaard via a bridge

that crosses the A15 motorway and

the Betuwe Railway Line.

This bridge is called the green

connection and is also part of the

750 ha of new nature and

recreation area in the Rotterdam

region. Projects executed in the

context of the Existing Rotterdam

Area subproject will also result in

more or better quality nature areas.

The Ruigeplaatbos woodlands near

Hoogvliet, the quality impulse

project for the Oostvoornse Meer,

and the redevelopment of the

Landtong Rozenburg area are all

examples of such improvements.

10

11

12

3 SUSTAINABILITY AND DIALOGUE

The port’s future depends on

whether it will be able to maintain

and strengthen its position and

improve the local quality of life.

This dual objective serves as a

guiding principle for all decisions.

In the Maasvlakte 2 project,

the Port Authority has

made a conscious decision to

make sustainability an integral

part of the development of the

new port and industrial area:

sustainability will be taken into

account in each individual project

or subproject. And during the design,

construction, spatial planning,

and operation of the areas, the

responsible parties will always seek

out the most sustainable solutions.

Sustainability and consultation as the

connecting themes?

What is sustainable

development?

In the Maasvlakte 2 project,

sustainable development is defined as:

‘a development in which the needs

of the current generation are

fulfilled without limiting future

generations in their opportunities

to fulfil their needs’.

In the case of Maasvlakte 2, sustainability

consequently has three dimensions:

• Ecological: Nature, the environment

and energy;

• Economic: Maintain and strengthen

the position and quality of the

Rotterdam port;

• Social: Quality of life in the city

and region.

13

Always in dialogue

Sustainable development takes

the environmental impact of

Maasvlakte 2 on the local

population and environment into

account. Naturally, it ensures that

there is opportunity for people to

have an influence on plans for

Maasvlakte 2 and its subsequent

realisation. From the very outset

of the project, the approach has

been transparent and proactive

towards the various stakeholders

such as environmental and

conservation organisations.

During the design stage, there

was also an open dialogue with

interested parties. At that point,

the various stakeholders could

promote their interests, explain

their viewpoints, contribute to the

plans, and indeed improve them.

This is how the sustainable

development of the area was and

is elaborated and secured in

continuous consultation – from the

design, construction, and spatial

planning stage to its eventual

operation.

Sustainability as a connecting

theme

Sustainability is taken into account

and elaborated in each stage of the

project. The design, for instance,

includes the conscious decision

for a streamlined, circular option,

as this will minimise the impact

on the North Sea. The design’s

compact form furthermore means

that it occupies a lot less space

(see Chapter 7: Sustainable

Design). Less space also means

that less sand is required, which

in turn leads to environmental and

cost savings. And in the case of

sand extraction, sustainability also

means conscious decision-making

with regard to the sand extraction

location and the dredging method.

The selected procedure will have

minimal effects on the seabed and

marine wildlife (see Chapter 8:

Sustainable Construction).

Sustainability is also an important

factor in the spatial planning of

Maasvlakte 2. The multifunctional

exterior contour and the clustering

of industries are both good

examples (see Chapter 9:

Sustainable Planning).

For the first time in the history of

any of the world’s major seaports,

sustainability has served as an

important selection criterion,

partially determining which

companies will be allowed to set

up on Maasvlakte 2. Various

environmental aspects, such as

the air pollution and noise pollution

levels, have been included in the

evaluation. The first contracts with

terminal operators consequently

include concrete agreements on

maximum emission levels,

decreasing the share of overland

haulage and increasing the use

of inland shipping and rail transport

(see Chapter 10: Sustainable

Operation).

14

15

16

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION

Maasvlakte 2 will be situated in

the Voordelta, a Special Protection

Area under the EU Directive on

the Conservation of Wild Birds

and the EU Habitats Directive.

Its construction will have

consequences for local fauna and

flora. They will either lose part of

their habitat or experience more

difficulty finding food. In order to

give nature the space it requires,

the effects of Maasvlakte 2 will

be compensated for with the

establishment of a seabed

protection area off the coast

and the development of a

new dune area.

• Seabed protection area

25,000 ha

To compensate for the

disappearance of a portion of the

seabed to the southwest of the new

land reclamation, a large seabed

protection area will be realised

at another location. This will have a

surface area of some 25,000 ha:

over 10 times the size of the land

reclamation. Fishing vessels that

stir up the seabed (beam trawling)

with an engine power greater than

260 HP will be prohibited from

working in this area. This is good

news for local seabed ecology,

which serves as a food source for

birds. Furthermore, resting areas

will be established around various

sandbars where people will be

prohibited from disturbing the

resting birds and seals.

• Delfland dune compensation

area 35 ha

The negative effects of the project

on the dune areas will also be

compensated for. After all, once

Maasvlakte 2 is finished there will

be more shipping traffic in the area.

The related emissions can have

a negative impact on the Voornse

Duin area. This is why a new 35-ha

dune area will be developed to the

north of Maasvlakte 2, between

Hoek of Holland and Ter Heijde.

Work on this dune compensation

will be carried out in tandem with

a project aimed at reinforcing the

coast in this area.

The combination of the seabed

protection area and the dune

compensation area ensures that

at the end of the day, the existing

protected nature will not be worse

off due to the construction and

operation of Maasvlakte 2.

Seabed protection area and dunes

17

18

EXTRA NATURE AND RECREATION AREAS

When developing the plans for

Maasvlakte 2, it was decided

from the outset to combine

economic activity with recreation

facilities and the realisation

of new nature areas.

Recreation at Maasvlakte 2

Maasvlakte 2 will have various

new nature and recreation areas.

The development of Maasvlakte 2

entails the disappearance of a

section of the popular Slufterstrand

Beach. This will be replaced by

a beach area roughly one and a

half times as large on the edge of

the new port area. A day beach

with ample parking facilities will

be developed in the southwestern

section. To the west, one can find

an activity beach that is geared

towards active leisure pursuits

like surfing, kitesurfing and flying

kites. In addition, there are plans

to create recreational walking

routes and cycle tracks,

observation points and perhaps

a superdune.

Flora and fauna at Maasvlakte 2

Port areas and industrial estates can

accommodate an unsuspected

variety of interesting flora and fauna.

Indeed, in a variety of ways the

newly constructed port area

resembles the naturally dynamic

coastal ecosystem. The soil will

consist of North Sea sand as it is

also found in the soil of coastal

ecosystems like beaches, dunes,

sandbars and islets. Furthermore,

there is a salty sea wind, and the

food-rich coastal zone and the

mouth of the river are nearby. The

variety of species present in the

neighbouring ecosystems ensures

that many of the species found there

can easily establish themselves in

the new dock area. This is only

helped by the fact that disturbance

by man will be relatively limited.

More room for people, flora and fauna

19

In the case of the soft sea wall,

we will see a limited development

of sand drift, and circumstances

will be created that are very

similar to a natural row of coastal

dunes. The exterior cable and

pipeline corridors adjacent to the

dunes can also be planned and

managed, so that they are suited

for plant life and insects that

develop well in expanses of dry

dune grassland.

Natural dune landscape

It is expected that in due time, a

natural dune landscape will develop

in this area that will offer a rich

variety of flora and fauna.

The dune vegetation will include

varieties like Sand Couch, Marram

Grass, thickets of Sea Buckthorn

and Elder, as well as dune gras-

slands and species that thrive in wet

dune blowouts like Orchids, Grass

of Parnassus, and Bog Pimpernel.

It will be home to species like the

Sand-hill Screw-moss, Wood Rush,

Stonecrop, Wild Thyme, Pyramidal

Orchid, and Bee Orchid. The area

can form a habitat for animals like

the Natterjack Toad and the Sand

Lizard, and for colonial birds like

Seagulls, Sandwich Terns, and

Avocets, as well as Kentish and

Ringed Plovers, and Northern

Wheatears.

20

21

22

THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES

PROJECTORGANISATIE

MAASVLAKTE

MilieueffectrapportBIJLAGE MILIEUKWALITEIT

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03-04-2007 11:38:12

PROJECTORGANISATIE

MAASVLAKTE

Milieueffectrapport BIJLAGE GELUID

-00056_omslag_B_PP.indd 5 03-04-2007 11:40:45

Will the birds in the Voordelta be

bothered by the suction dredgers

that are busy near Hoek of

Holland?

How much traffic will be visiting

Maasvlakte 2 in 2020? What are

the consequences of the increase

in traffic for accessibility and air

quality?

How can we ensure that the

companies established at

Maasvlakte 2 work as clean

and sustainably as possible?

Won’t the water in the docks heat

up too much due to the cooling

water discharged by the facilities

and power stations?

Questions, lots of questions.

The Port Authority has

answered all relevant questions

in the context of present and

expected national and international

policy frameworks and agreements.

The required procedures for the

construction, planning and

operation of Maasvlakte 2 are

currently running their course at

the Municipality of Rotterdam,

the Dutch Ministry of Transport,

Public Works and Water

Management, the Ministry of

Agriculture, Nature and Food

Quality and the Municipality of

Westvoorne. The plans for the

construction, planning, and

operation and their expected

effects on the environment have

been studied extensively in two

environmental reports:

the Milieueffectrapportage Aanleg

(Environmental Impact Assessment

Construction, MER A) and the

Milieueffectrapportage

Bestemming (Environmental Impact

Assessment Zoning, MER B).

The EIA reports: extensive, exhaustive,

and innovative

PROJECTORGANISATIE

MAASVLAKTE

Milieueffectrapport

BIJLAGE RECREATIEF MEDEGEBRUIK

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03-04-2007 11:35:31

PROJECTORGANISATIE

MAASVLAKTE

MilieueffectrapportBIJLAGE ARCHEOLOGIE

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03-04-2007 11:37:46

23

Fourteen areas

Combined, the two EIA reports form

an exhaustively documented reference

work of over 6,000 pages, showing the

effects of the project in fourteen areas:

• Traffic and transport;

• Noise;

• Air;

• External security;

• Water;

• Light;

• Nature;

• Landscape;

• Recreational combined use;

• Marine safety and accessibility;

• The coast and the sea;

• Environmental quality;

• Functions;

• Archaeology.

Environmental Impact

Assessment Construction

The Environmental Impact

Assessment Construction

describes which effects the sand

extraction and land reclamation

activities and the presence of

Maasvlakte 2 will have. This

concerns the consequences for

current patterns and tidal movements

in the North Sea, for example, or the

best procedure for extracting sand,

the impact of silt transports, the grain

size of the sand for the soft sea wall,

and the scope of the environmental

compensation project in the Voordelta.

24

Environmental Impact

Assessment Zoning

The Environmental Impact

Assessment Zoning answers

questions concerning the spatial

planning and expected effects of

activities in the Maasvlakte 2

port and industrial area, from the

Rijnmond area to the depths of the

hinterland. Road traffic and air

quality are important themes in

this report.

Innovative and based on a

worst-case scenario

The various studies undertaken

within the context of the

Environmental Impact

Assessments were both

exhaustive and extensive.

Furthermore, they incorporate the

most up-to-date scientific insights.

A good example of innovative

research is the development

of new, more detailed models

in collaboration with scientists,

in order to map out the impact

on the coastal area and the sea.

Such models were not yet

available beforehand. Another

example is the study into the

effects of underwater sound

caused by sand extraction

activities. This is the first Dutch

study to focus on how much

noise is produced by sand

extraction dredgers and how far

this sound travels underneath

the surface of the water. In

addition, it looks into how much

of this is heard by, for example,

nearby porpoises, codfish and

seals and how they respond to

this sound.

In virtually every impact prediction,

the researchers have decided it

is better to be safe than sorry and

have taken a worst-case scenario

as their starting point.

Favourable opinion delivered

by EIA Committee

In December 2007, the

independent Environmental

Impact Assessment Committee

concluded that the EIA reports

dealing with Maasvlakte 2

provide sufficient insight into the

environmental consequences of

the construction and operation of

the port expansion. In the view of

the Committee, the operation of

Maasvlakte 2 will not, for example,

result in a decline in air quality,

because sufficient compensatory

measures will be in place.

25

Cut-through variant

26

Reference design I, with extended pier Reference design II, with immediate access to the sea

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Maasvlakte 2 will be a newly

constructed area. In combination

with the scale of the entire project,

this offers unique possibilities to

develop truly groundbreaking

solutions for the sustainable

development of a new port area.

As quality of life for future

generations serves as a constant

point of reference, it was decided

from the outset of the project to

adopt an integrated approach to

the area’s construction, spatial

design, operation, and

management. In the process,

parties explicitly strove to find

optimum solutions in terms of both

economic value and sustainability.

Optimum outer contour

The construction of a large area

of new land in the sea can have

major consequences for currents

and wave movements and

consequently for the environment

and marine safety. An extensive

study has been carried out in

this area using scale models,

advanced calculation applications

and simulations, with the aim of

arriving at the optimum form for

the new port area with minimal

disruptive effects for the marine

environment. The area’s spatial

planning was also given ample

thought in the design stage,

with the objective of optimally

combining the different functions

of container port, industry, and

distribution on a relatively small

plot of land.

Seven reference designs

During the design stage of the

project, the effects were computed

What is the optimum shape for Maasvlakte 2?

27

of seven reference designs for

the outer contour. This included

mapping out the impact of each

design on the coastline from

Zeeland to the Wadden Sea,

for example. Furthermore, a

study was made into which type

of sea wall would be the safest,

most sustainable, and most

cost-effective solution. An

assessment was made of the

marine safety by monitoring, for

instance, the changed wave and

current patterns: How safe will it

be for the seagoing vessels to

enter the port under even the most

extreme weather conditions?

The relation between the port site,

recreation and nature functions

was reviewed: How could the three

be balanced best? The seven

reference designs were assessed

on the basis of 27 criteria all in all.

Separate entrance or not?

Ultimately, in 2001, it was decided

to proceed with two variants with

a total surface area of 2,500 ha.

The main question was whether

or not it was desirable to realise a

direct entrance from the sea. Two

years on, an optimised design was

presented: the cut-through variant.

It turned out that the cut-through

variant was the most

environmentally friendly option, that

it benefited safety and accessibility,

and that it was less expensive.

An exclusive port entrance for

Maasvlakte 2 in particular would be

more expensive due to the

necessary construction of a port

dam. In addition, the port would still

remain inaccessible in the event

of extreme weather conditions.

Moreover, this variant would cause

more silt to be sucked in, meaning

that more maintenance would be

required to keep the docks at the

required depth.

The cut-through variant:

compact, in line with the

coastline, and safe

Compact shape saves space

The cut-through variant consists of

a compact plot of land with access

for shipping via the existing

Yangtzehaven area. This explains

the name ‘cut-through variant’:

the entrance to Maasvlakte 2 is a

cut-through from Yangtzehaven.

The compact shape of the

cut-through variant forms an

efficient solution for the planning

of the available space: less land

is required to arrive at the same

volume of grantable space.

Maasvlakte 2 will be 2,000 instead

of 2,500 ha in size and there will

still be 1,000 ha of newly available

sites. The reduction in size was not

at the cost of the net grantable

28

space and the port’s necessary

functionality. Within the design

itself, a decision was made based

on considerations of efficiency and

sustainability to cluster container

terminals, distribution facilities,

and chemical facilities.

Circular shape fits in coastline

The designed circular shape also

proved to align best with the

existing coastline and closely

resembles the heads of the islands

of South Holland and Zeeland. This

can be seen when looking at how

the development is rounded off at

the approach channel and the

sloping southwestern coastline,

which follows the entrance of the

Haringvliet. Furthermore, the

circular outer contour has the least

impact on currents, waves, coastal

erosion and silt transport. .

Sea wall creates space for nature

and recreation

In the case of the sea wall, the best

option is a combination of hard and

soft: 4 km of hard sea wall (a dike)

in the northern section and some 8

km of beach and dunes. In addition,

the soft sea wall, which will take the

form of beach and dunes, will offer

good opportunities for nature

development and recreation..

Attention to environmental impact

As the cut-through variant is

considerably more compact than

the reference designs developed

earlier (covering 2,000 instead of

2,500 ha), it will result in a limited

reduction of protected nature area

in the Voordelta. In addition, the

compact variant will be situated

slightly further away from the

protected dune areas of Voorne

and Goeree.

Accessible for the very largest

seagoing vessels

The Port Authority is renowned

for its good and secure

accessibility by water. This will

still be guaranteed when shipping

traffic increases after Maasvlakte 2

is taken into operation. Even the

largest container ships of today and

the near future will be able to dock

here without a problem, 24 hours

29

a day. Seagoing vessels and inland

vessels will enter Maasvlakte 2

via the Yangtzehaven. This will

result in extensive changes to the

existing area. The Yangtzehaven

will be extended to Maasvlakte 2,

dredged to a depth of 20 m below

Amsterdam Ordnance Datum

and broadened to a width of

some 600 m.

Marine safety guaranteed

Both the port’s design and the

facilities that will be realised here

will ensure that it can be accessed

smoothly and safely in accordance

with prevailing standards.

Obviously, the construction of

Maasvlakte 2 will have

consequences for local currents

and waves. When it comes down

to the safe accessibility of the port,

the cross-current in front of and in

the port entrance is an important

factor. This is why extensive

simulation studies using computer

models and navigation simulators

have been carried out. The

researchers concluded that the

Maasvlakte 2 land reclamation

will lead to more favourable

current conditions in the Maasgeul

Fairway and the Maas Entrance.

The current will increase at a

number of locations within the

port itself, but this will not bother

the seagoing and inland vessels.

Wave conditions will also remain

similar to the current situation after

the construction of Maasvlakte 2.

The selected design will ensure

that even in unfavourable weather

– with winds up to force 8 – the

very largest container ships can

safely reach the new port area.

30

Landscape architecture

in design stage

The design for Maasvlakte 2

pays attention to the eventual

appearance of the area and how

people will perceive it. Viewed

from the bundled infrastructure,

the area offers a natural dune

landscape on the one side and the

port landscape on the other. The

use of varying altitudes,

observation points and

perspectives should result in fine

harbour views. To achieve these

prospects, stipulations have been

made regarding various areas

including the situation of the

structures, their shape and the

use of colour. This should make

the Maasvlakte 2 landscape a

unique experience. The

feasibility of the plan to construct

a superdune is also being looked

into. This dune, which would be

approximately 50 m tall, will

possibly be developed adjacent

to the Slufter area. It would offer

fine views of the North Sea, the

Voordelta, and the Maasvlakte.

31

32

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Boskalis and Van Oord will be

collaborating on the construction

of Maasvlakte 2. They have been

commissioned to perform this task

as innovatively and sustainably as

possible. The dredgers will be

working with modern, clean, and

energy-efficient vessels. All

contractors all obliged to work in

accordance with the guidelines

pertaining to the sustainable

construction of structures, roads,

and waterways.

Construction of the sea wall

All in all, the sea defence that

surrounds Maasvlakte 2 will be

around 12 km in length. At the

northern end, a 4-km long section

of the sea wall will have a hard top

layer of basalt, concrete, or rock.

The existing Maasvlakte

‘Blokkendam’ will be partially

recycled for this new hard sea wall.

This means less waste and a lesser

need to ship in new material. On

the western and southern edges,

an 8-km long soft sea wall will be

constructed consisting of dunes

with a beach. A total of more than

365 million cubic metres of sand

will be required for the construction

of the sea wall and the 1,000 ha of

grantable sites. Some 60 million

cubic metres of sand will be

extracted when the Yangtzehaven

cut-through is carried out and the

new port areas are brought to the

desired depth. This sand will be

reused in the Maasvlakte 2

development. The remainder of

the required sand will be extracted

from the North Sea seabed.

Sustainable sand extraction

The location of the sand pit in the

North Sea was determined in

accordance with the conditions of

the Key Physical Planning Decision

(PKB). This is guaranteed by the

earth removal licence. It was

established on the basis of

extensive research to determine

the offshore locations where sand

extraction would have the least

impact on marine life. Furthermore,

it was decided to extract sand at a

short distance from Maasvlakte 2,

as this minimises the negative

environmental impact of the

operation. The sand will be

extracted outside the Voordelta

area.

The effects of the sand extraction

operations on organisms in and on

the seabed and on fish and silt

layers are described in the

Environmental Impact Assessment

Construction. Two clear effects

have been determined: the seabed

ecosystem will be affected and

there will be silt formation.

Deep sand extraction pits will

limit the disruption of the seabed

ecosystem

The extraction of sand at the

offshore pit will also result in the

disappearance of local seabed

organisms. Thanks to

recolonisation, the estuarine

ecosystem will recover within a few

years. During the sand extraction

activities, the negative

environmental effects will be limited

as far as possible by using deep

sand extraction pits to a depth of

some ten to fifteen metres below

the sea floor. By working

downwards instead of sidewards,

the total surface area of temporarily

disturbed seabed can be reduced.

Eco-friendly sand extraction and land

reclamation

33

Continuous measurement of

silt formation

Another effect of sand extraction is

that during the work, water with silt

particles streams back into the sea

from the dredgers. These particles

are suspended in the water,

causing it to become murky, so that

less light can penetrate. A possible

consequence of this is that algae

will grow less quickly. Algae serve

as food for small snails and

crustaceans, which in turn serve

as food for birds and fish. In other

words, cloudy water can lead to

less food for various species and

a disturbance of the food chain.

However, suspended silt can occur

in nature as well. Rivers constantly

supply new silt, for instance. Ten to

forty million tons of silt enter the

North Sea from the Straits of Dover

every year and each new storm

also churns up silt from the sea

floor. The concentration of silt on

the sea floor is relatively low at the

location selected for sand

extraction. The impact of the silt

that is released as a result of

dredging activities is not expected

to be impermissible.

Monitoring the quality of the

marine ecosystem

The present condition of the marine

ecosystem has been inventoried in

preparation of the construction of

Maasvlakte 2. Baseline

measurements were carried out at

some 300 locations up to 50 km off

the coast between Schouwen and

IJmuiden. This allowed researchers

34

to determine where fish can be

found, their numbers and what

condition the fish are in.

In addition, there have been

baseline measurements focusing

on juvenile (young, sexually

non-mature) fish and silt at 100

other locations up to 30 km off the

coast between Walcheren and Den

Helder. As soon as construction

has started, researchers will carry

out new measurements at these

locations, which will be compared

to the baseline measurements.

This will allow them to check in

practice whether the environmental

effects that were outlined

beforehand in the EIA

Construction, have actually

materialised or not. A scientific

study of this scope into the impact

of sand extraction on seabed life

both before and during dredging

activities has never before been

carried out in the North Sea.

Land reclamation in stages

The ambition is to start the land

reclamation and sand extraction

operations in 2008. The pace at

which sand will be extracted will lie

at around 100 million cubic metres

per year. The first stage will consist

of the building of the sea wall and the

construction of the first port sites.

The subsequent development of

Maasvlakte 2 will then be carried out

in stages based on market demand.

This means that the area will not

have any long-term vacant lots.

Sea wall will have a safe height

The sea wall will be so tall and

robust that there is no way that an

extreme storm surge can overcome

it or that an undesirable amount of

water floods over the edge. The

sites accommodating container

handling and distribution activities

will be 5 m above Amsterdam

Ordnance Datum (NAP) and the

road along the inside of the sea

wall will even be 5.5 m above NAP.

This makes Maasvlakte 2 one of

the safest areas around.

35

Hard sea wall

Foo

t o

f slo

pe

Cycle track Pipeline corridor

97.50

6.50 10.00

Gra

nti

ng

lim

it (E

uro

max

)

1x2 lanes + hard shoulder

NAPNAPNAP

0.85

1.00

Secondary road 1x2 lanes Internal lane

3.001.50

5.0023.207.0019.2010.0066.204.00

6.00 7.90 2.00 20.006.50 3.00 8.50 3.00 5.50 2.00 5.00 4.251.00

1 : 4

SEALAND

+15.80

+10.00

+5.20

-11.35

-14.25

Innovative multifunctional outer and inner contours

36

SUSTAINABLE PLANNING

What does the optimised and

sustainable planning of the new

Port area involve? A good example

is the multifunctional outer contour.

The outer contour of Maasvlakte 2

is suited for a variety of functions.

For instance, this sea wall does not

just protect the hinterland from the

sea, it also serves as the main

transport corridor for road, rail,

cable, and pipeline connections.

Turbines on the hard sea wall in the

northern section and on a section

of the soft sea wall allow for the

generation of wind energy. The

southwestern and western sections

will have the character of a natural

dune landscape with beach areas

suited for various forms of

recreation on the exterior – from a

beach for day trippers to an activity

beach for surfing, horse-riding

and kitesurfing.

Sustainable spatial planning

for traffic, transport and energy

It is possible to realise a great deal

of efficiency and save a

considerable amount of energy by

already taking sustainability into

account at this point in the planning

process. There are plans to bundle

the emergency services like the fire

brigade, the seaport police and the

nautical services, for instance.

Innovative multifunctional outer and inner contours

37

The transport of energy and other

products via a network of pipelines

will be encouraged: this will reduce

transport by truck, rail, and inland

shipping and create an

infrastructure that makes it possible

to cluster industrial activities. In

addition, the Port Authority has

taken the ambition to reduce road

traffic into account in Maasvlakte 2

’s design stage (see Modal Shift

in Chapter 10). There will also be

adequate facilities for inland

shipping and rail transport.

Clustering of industrial

activities

Industrial ecology occupies a

central position in the sustainable

planning of Maasvlakte 2. The

bundling of similar companies

offers advantages from the outset.

Clustering chemical industry and

container companies not only has

environmental benefits, it is also

advantageous in terms of business

economics. Chemical companies

can benefit from one another’s

proximity, as semimanufactures,

rest products, residual heat and

cold are all close at hand. This

saves energy and raw materials

and reduces the transport

requirement. In addition, a relatively

clean source of energy like residual

heat can be recycled quite easily in

38

facilities that are located in close

proximity to one another.

Appearances also count:

restricting visual pollution

of sites

A world-class port has to look

the part. Maasvlakte 2 is intended

to become an attractive

environment for residents, visitors,

holiday-makers, and employees.

This is why space has been

reserved for nature and recreation

in and around the docks, but the

planning of core assets like the

public spaces in the dock area and

the outside areas of industrial

estates will also be subject to

specific requirements. To give

Maasvlakte 2 a suitable

appearance, the industrial

buildings will need to fit in the

landscape as well as possible in

terms of shape, colour scheme,

and size. The skyline will be

characterised by selective

high-rise construction. The entire

allure of Maasvlakte 2 will need to

conform to the core values of

being functional, clean and hi-tech.

The Port area’s accessibility for

visitors will be promoted through

the construction of, for example,

cycle tracks that offer views of

the harbour.

39

40

SUSTAINABLE OPERATION

Maasvlakte 2 shows the Port of

Rotterdam Authority’s ambition to

be a global pioneer in the field of

sustainability. In order to achieve

this, the Port Authority has taken

various measures, including placing

strict demands on the companies

that aim to set to work in

Maasvlakte 2. In the international

call for bids, which was open to

interested stevedores and shipping

companies, sustainability

consequently formed an important

criterion for tenant selection.

The firms in question will need

to fulfil concrete sustainability

requirements. The response was

positive. Companies are aware of

the necessity to deal with

environmental problems and seek

out new procedures. As such,

Maasvlakte 2 has become a

platform for companies to show

the world that sustainability and

economic growth can be combined

successfully. This conscious

choice not only leads to increased

sustainability, it also results in

innovation, substantial

improvements in efficiency and

cost control.

Reserved for companies with a sustainable business approach

41

Contract procedure for container

terminals

Between 2005 and 2007, various

companies that were candidates to

operate a terminal were assessed

against four criteria with different

valuation percentages:

• Finances 40%

• Sustainability 20%

• Marketing and strategy 25%

• Terminal concept/technology 15%

This was the first time worldwide that

a port explicitly included

sustainability considerations in the

contract procedure. The companies’

sustainability was assessed on the

basis of three subcriteria:

• The Environmental Management

System (EMS). Various matters

are covered by the EMS, including

air quality, light, energy, waste,

and transport. This criterion dealt

with issues including the following

questions: What are the

company’s views on sustainable

enterprise? How can pollution be

avoided? How is monitoring

organised? Which measures need

to be taken when limits are

exceeded?

• The Modal Shift. This represents

the ratio between rail, inland

shipping, and road transport in

the transport to the hinterland.

As trucks and cars are

responsible for a substantial

share of the air pollution, and

overland accessibility is also of

considerable importance, this

criterion involves concrete

requirements in order to cut back

truck haulage sustainably.

• Security. The security of terminals

and transport chains has to be

well arranged.

42

Modal Shift: cutting back truck

transport

Of the 11 million sea containers

expected to enter Maasvlakte 2

after 2033, some 4 million will

immediately be relayed for further

transport across the ocean.

In other words, these containers

will not have to be dealt with by

the hinterland network. At present,

nearly 50% of the containers

destined for the hinterland are

handled by road transport. In 2033,

the share of overland haulage

needs to be reduced to 35%.

Strict criteria for clients

A maximum of 35% of the

containers may be transported

by road. This absolutely

concrete agreement is made

with all companies that intend

to establish themselves at

Maasvlakte 2. This is the only

way that the increased traffic

pressure can be countered

and the emission of airborne

particulate matter minimised.

Everything has been laid down

in contracts, including penalties

for noncompliance.

From 2005 To 2033

Road 47% 35%

Water 40% 45%

Rail 13% 20%

Modal Shift Objective:

Improving the transport to

the hinterland

The Port Authority is already active

in the improvement of the transport

to the hinterland – through

participation in the Betuwe

Railway Line, for instance, and

the development of a container

transfer facility in the hinterland.

Inland vessels carry the containers

to the transfer facility, from where

they are transported to their final

destination by rail or by truck. As a

result, fewer trucks will be travelling

to and from the Maasvlakte, which

is better for local air quality.

43

The stevedores at Maasvlakte 2 will

be developing a new generation of

container terminals. Sustainability

and efficiency are the two key

principles. The terminal operators

have an opportunity to combine the

best practical experience gained

across the world with the latest

technology and insights, ultimately

to arrive at transfer centres that set

a new standard in the container

sector. Besides a maximum amount

of freedom to plan the site as the

operator sees fit, sustainability

is also an important point of

departure, not only because the

Port of Rotterdam Authority applies

strict sustainability criteria in the

Container terminals of the future

44

*standard size unit for containers

selection of companies for

Maasvlakte 2, but also because

companies see sustainability as

a licence to operate in the future.

Only firms that are able to work

with energy-efficient,

environmentally friendly solutions

that are in harmony with the

environment will have a chance

to expand.

Bigger and more efficient

At first glance, the terminals that

will come into operation at

Maasvlakte 2, from 2013 on,

will probably look like existing

examples. A striking difference,

however, will be their scale. The

new generation of container ships

that is currently on the drawing

board will soon be docking at

Maasvlakte 2. Cargos of 12,500

TEU* and over on ships with a

length of some 340 m will be the

rule rather than the exception. With

its deep water docks of some 20 m

depth, Maasvlakte 2 will be fully

prepared for these vessels.

At the quay, too, everything will be

ready for what the future may bring.

An increased volume of containers

will have to be unloaded quicker,

more efficiently andwith more

energy efficiency. This procedure

will be fully automated, involving

different cranes working at the

same time. It may even be

arranged in such a way that the

cranes can unload various

45

containers at the same time.

The weight of the loaded containers

can be used during the unloading

to generate electricity.

Proactive planning and cargo

recognition programmes will ensure

that the automated systems can

recognise different containers and

cluster them in logical groups on

the quay, so that the subsequent

transfer to the next mode of

transport can run more smoothly.

The option of loading inland

vessels directly from the container

ship is currently being reviewed.

Everything is geared towards

allowing the loading and unloading

procedures to run quickly and

efficiently. Automation and clever IT

solutions play extremely important

roles in this process. The operators

monitor multiple unloading cranes

from a central control station. As

the operation is fully automated,

expectations are that the quays will

require a lot less light in the

evening. At any rate, the energy

consumption and emission levels of

the equipment on the quays have

been drastically reduced. Hybrid

technologies, filters, cleaner

engines and fuels all contribute

to this effect. Furthermore, the

companies’ offices are energy-

efficient and climate-neutral in their

operation. Logistic information and

automated planning based on real-

time information ensure that both

seaward and landward waiting

times are minimised. This reduces

the needless emissions caused by

running engines while increasing

efficiency and productivity. The

operators can also influence the

way the containers are

subsequently transported to the

hinterland. By 2033, the ratio in the

modal shift should be adjusted to

such a degree that an ample

majority of the cargo is transported

by rail and inland shipping.

The Port Authority will see to this

via contracts with the terminal

operators.

Greenest container terminals in

the world

The largest Port in Europe wants to

set an example of sustainability

with the Maasvlakte 2 development.

Together with the companies that

will be setting to work in the new

area, the Port Authority is doing

everything in its power to make this

sustainable future a reality – in the

interest of today’s and future

generations. Three contracts

dealing with the operation of

container terminals at Maasvlakte 2

have since been signed.

Rotterdam World Gateway

Rotterdam World Gateway will be

developing a terminal with a

capacity of 4 million TEU

(Twenty feet Equivalent Unit). This

terminal will become operational in

2013. The project is a joint venture

of stevedore DP World (Dubai) and

the shipping companies Mitsui

OSK Lines (MOL, Japan), Hyundai

Merchant Marine (HMM,

46

South Korea), Neptune Orient

Lines/APL (Singapore), and CMA

CGM (France).

APM Terminals

APM Terminals, a subsidiary of

the A.P. Møller-Maersk Group

(Denmark), will be developing

a second container terminal at

Maasvlakte 2, which will have

a capacity of some 4.5 million

standard containers. This

sustainable terminal will be taken

into operation in 2014.

The third party to set up at

Maasvlakte 2 is ECT, the largest

container stevedore in Rotterdam’s

existing port. The project in

question will be a sustainable

extension of the Euromax terminal,

in which the shipping companies

Cosco, ‘K’-line, Yang Ming, and

Hanjin will all be participating.

Sustainable industry

Distribution and chemical sector

companies that intend to establish

locations at Maasvlakte 2 will

also be confronted with specific

sustainability requirements.

An important requirement in this

respect has to do with the

agreements laid down in the

Rotterdam Climate Initiative, which

focuses on cutting Rotterdam’s

carbon emission levels by half by

2025. For the port in its entirety,

this boils down to energy efficiency

measures, the use of sustainable

energy and maximising the capture

or storage of carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, the design and spatial

planning of Maasvlakte 2 will in any

case allow for the effective

clustering of activities, which can

result in further advantages:

effectively utilising one another’s

facilities, semimanufactures,

and energy systems, for instance.

Examples include residual heat,

the shared use of pipeline systems,

and joint wastewater treatment, but

also the maximum utilisation of

sustainable modes of transport.

The result of the clustering can be

reduced energy consumption, lower

noise production, reduced missions

of harmful substances, and a

reduction in the discharge of

cooling water. An additional

advantage of the clustering of

sector companies is that the outline

of the risk area is minimised.

In short, we can also expect the

chemical sector to make a

substantial contribution to the

new port’s sustainability.

47

48

SUSTAINABLE OPERATION

Sustainable energy

Maasvlakte 2 will increase the

energy demand – there’s no

discussion about that. However,

Maasvlakte 2 is intended to pioneer

and initiate a variety of energy-

efficient and energy-saving

solutions. All companies that aim to

set up at Maasvlakte 2 are required

to indicate how they deal with

energy and how they prevent the

waste of energy, for example by

means of lighting, refrigeration,

ventilation, and heating. The port

uses a lot of energy for transport

and production, but it also produ-

ces a lot of energy. The bundling

of energy flows will create

opportunities for a sustainable

approach. The Port of Rotterdam

Authority aims to ensure that all

energy storage and production

is accommodated in an

environmentally responsible,

safe way and that energy and

raw materials are used efficiently.

Examples include the development

of locations where similar

companies can set up close

together (co-siting locations) and

the construction of a joint pipeline

network.

Wind energy

The hard and soft sea walls both

form suitable sites for wind

turbines. The location is ideal: there

is a lot of wind, very little nuisance

for local residents, and an effective

concentration in a limited area.

A total of some 25 turbines could

be placed here. These turbines

would have a combined energy

production of 60 to 80 MW

(megawatts) – enough to provide

energy for some 70,000

households. In addition, the

turbines will realise an annual

reduction of some 120 kilotons

of carbon emissions.

Sustainable process technology

In order to achieve increased

eco-efficiency, a communal (utility)

facilities centre can be set up.

This centre could handle, for

example, network construction,

network management, electricity,

natural gas, drinking water, process

water, wastewater, CO2, and

steam, but also telecom

connections, IT, and security.

Even in the construction and spatial

planning stage, the organisation

will already ensure that the

infrastructure is prepared for such

a facilities centre. In addition,

infrastructure will be realised for the

transport of syngas (hydrogen and

carbon monoxide).

What about energy, process technology,

air quality, light, and noise?

49

Air quality

The air quality in the Rijnmond area

currently fails to meet the European

standards at every given location.

At a number of points along the

A15 motorway, the traffic’s

emission levels for nitrogen dioxide

and airborne particulate matter

exceed the standard. The Nether-

lands Environmental Assessment

Agency (MNP) expects air quality

to improve clearly over the next few

years, thanks to improved

technology and cleaner engines.

Strict measures will be introduced

to this effect in Maasvlakte 2,

working in collaboration with the

Municipality of Rotterdam.

Examples include less and cleaner

truck haulage, environmental

zoning and cleaner inland vessels.

In addition, the Government, the

Municipality of Rotterdam, the

Province of South Holland and the

Port of Rotterdam have jointly

concluded an ‘Air Covenant’. This

agreement guarantees the timely

implementation of the correct

measures at the correct locations.

An added bonus of the

environmental measures taken at

Maasvlakte 2 is that their positive

effect extends far beyond the

Rijnmond region; everyone will

profit from the cleaner engines of

the trucks and inland vessels.

Light

Like the present Maasvlakte,

Maasvlakte 2 will see continuous

operation throughout the night.

This will result in light radiation.

The main share of the light will be

emitted by the container terminals.

There are no legal standards in

place yet with regard to light

radiation or visibility, whereas such

standards do exist for sound and

air, for example. Nevertheless, the

effects were studied in the context

of the Environmental Impact

Assessment. Furthermore, the Port

Authority will still be investigating

how to limit the light emission as far

as possible. This is also inspired by

50

the fact that less light means

less energy consumption and a

reduction in costs.

Noise

The industrial activity at

Maasvlakte 2 will not result in

any extra noise pollution for the

inhabited areas. The distance

between the two is too great for

this. The noise produced by road

and rail traffic in the region will

initially increase as a result of the

expanding economy.

The noise produced by road

haulage and rail transport is

expected to decrease after 2020.

By that time, the existing trains and

trucks will have been replaced by

new and more silent equipment.

In addition, the asphalt on the

A15 and A4 motorways will be

of a quieter type.

51

52

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

The new port area needs to have

good accessibility, both by land

and water. However, its overland

accessibility (via the A15 and

A4 motorways) is already under

pressure. With or without the

development of Maasvlakte 2,

commuter, commercial, and

recreational traffic are all

expected to increase further.

In 2033, Maasvlakte 2 will result

in some 29,100 vehicle runs per

24 hours. Two thirds of this will be

freight transport. The effect on

the region is not too bad, though:

around the Vaanplein junction, the

contribution of Maasvlakte 2 will be

not more than 2% of the total traffic

(4,400 of the 176,500 motor vehicle

runs) and 6% of the lorry traffic

(3,200 of the 52,100 runs). Despite

the limited impact of Maasvlakte 2

on the traffic problems, improving

accessibility is high on the Port

Authority’s agenda. To guarantee

effective traffic circulation and limit

traffic nuisance and negative

environmental effects, the Port

Authority will be taking various

measures. The most important has

already been discussed earlier:

the Modal Shift. This measure

will require container terminals at

Maasvlakte 2 to transport more

cargo by means of inland shipping

and railway transport and less

cargo by means of trucks: from

47% in 2005 to 35% in 2033.

More options in the field of public

transport for employees and

visitors are currently being

considered. A number of

companies are already working

together to set up a joint transport

service, for example.

Truck haulage

Environmental zone

The Municipality of Rotterdam will

establish an environmental zone

for the existing Maasvlakte and

Maasvlakte 2. Trucks whose

emission levels of nitrogen oxide

and airborne particulate matter are

too high will not be allowed in this

area. Only those trucks with the

cleanest engines will be granted

access to the Maasvlakte.

This environmental zone will

be introduced in 2013, when

Maasvlakte 2 is taken into

operation. This measure will also

lead to a reduction in emission

levels in all other locations

frequented by these trucks.

Regulering

Besides the establishment of an

environmental zone, additional

measures are being reviewed that

can help regulate the traffic.

For example, the Port Authority is

investigating, in collaboration with

the Municipality of Rotterdam and

the Directorate-General for Public

Works and Water Management

(Rijkswaterstaat), whether it is

possible to ban trucks from the

stretches of the A15 and A4

motorways in the Rotterdam area

during the morning and evening

rush hours. This startling measure

offers two advantages: driving

outside of the rush hours will

benefit road capacity as well as air

quality. During rush hours, when

a truck is driving on a congested

road, it emits three times as much

carbon as when it is driving at

normal speed. In addition, it is

Truck haulage, shipping, rail,

and equipment

53

being studied whether time slots

should be introduced: the

requirement to load and unload

containers within a specified time.

The use of advanced IT

applications like electronic

pre-notification with the allocation

of time slots is a simple way to

improve transport efficiency.

Furthermore, all transport

companies will be encouraged to

transport more cargo per individual

transport run.

Container transfer station

Less lorry traffic in and around

Rotterdam can also be achieved

by taking a different approach to

transport. Plans are currently being

developed for a container transfer

station, for example, in order to

transfer large volumes of

containers from the Maasvlakte

to East Rotterdam. This will lead

to a considerable reduction in the

number of trucks driving on the

A15. The cargo relay facilities will

be located outside the busy areas.

Shipping

Inland shipping

One of the measures to help achieve

specific environmental benefits is the

exclusion of polluting inland vessels.

As early as by 2010, the most

polluting inland vessels will be

required to pay extra port dues when

they enter the Rotterdam port.

This will encourage companies to

switch to cleaner engines and the

extra port dues will be donated to the

fund of the Government’s Encou-

ragement Scheme. This subsidy

scheme of the Ministry for Housing,

Regional Development and the

Environment aims to reduce the

emissions of NOx in the inland

shipping sector. The vessels will be

required to switch to low-emission

diesel engines or convert the

engines by installing filters. If this

does not lead to the desired

reduction, the most polluting vessels

will have to stick to a speed limit on

certain stretches, particularly on

the Oude Maas and Nieuwe Maas

waterways and the Hartelkanaal.

Half of all inland vessels operating

in the Netherlands call on the

Rotterdam port: the switch to cleaner

engines will therefore have a

favourable impact throughout the

Netherlands.

Seagoing vessels

Increasingly stringent requirements

are being introduced for the sulphur

emissions of seagoing vessels.

Since August 2007, the fuel of

seagoing vessels in the North Sea

may contain a maximum of 1.5%

sulphur. This used to be 2.7%. As

from 2010, the fuel of ships docked

at the quays of European ports may

not contain more than 0.1% sulphur.

The Port Authority is investigating

the possibilities of an assessment

instrument for the emission of sea

vessels combined with financial

encouragement measures.

Rail

The Betuwe Railway Line will see

more intensive use in the future.

One of the projects aimed at

improving air quality is the

development and testing of a

clean, hybrid shunting engine.

Material

Sustainability is also a factor in the

use of AGVs (Automated Guided

Vehicles), the unmanned vehicles

that transport containers from

the quays and can find their way

around the terminal by themselves.

The old versions consumed a

great deal of diesel and also

emitted large volumes of airborne

particulate matter and NOx

(nitrogen oxides). The combination

of hybrid technology with

diesel-hydraulic drive substantially

benefits the environment: less fuel

consumption, lower emission levels,

and less noise. All companies that

have registered for a location at

Maasvlakte 2 have the contractual

obligation to increase the use of

low-emission drives in their vehicle

fleet and equipment.

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MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND CORRECTIONS

What are the natural assets of the

dune compensation areas and

the seabed protection area?

Will the same habitat that is lost

return in the new dune area? Will

the increased silt concentration

during sand extraction cause a

decelerated production of

zooplankton and benthos?

Will the quantity of seagoing

vessels correspond with the

spectrum set out in the EIA

report?

Are the traffic development

estimates and the related emission

estimates accurate?

The EIA Construction and EIA

Zoning reports describe the

expected impact of Maasvlakte 2

on the environment. Both reports

are based on worst-case

scenarios and have adopted wide

margins. But will the expected

effects actually materialise during,

for example, the sand extraction

and land reclamation operations?

Will the expectations regarding

the environmental values of the

dune compensation area and

the seabed protection area be

realised? What will the state of

the air quality be in 2015?

Extensive Monitoring Evaluation

Programmes (MEPs) have been

formulated for the entire term

of the Maasvlakte 2 project, in

accordance with the agreements

that were established in the

Rotterdam Mainport Development

Project Key Physical Planning

Decision (2006 PKB PMR).

Furthermore, the European

Commission has requested to be

updated regularly on the results

of the monitoring and evaluation

programmes in the context of the

Birds and Habitat Directives.

Verification and learning

All MEPs have a dual purpose.

The first objective is to verify

how the actual targets relate to

the predictions that have been

calculated in the EIA Construction

and EIA Zoning reports. The

second objective is a learning

target: as it is the first time many

of these studies have been carried

out, it is important to collect

information to fill the observed

knowledge gaps. The extensive

monitoring programmes will be

evaluated every five years.

The management plans will be

adapted as the need arises.

MEP Sand Extraction

The large-scale sand extraction

operation in the North Sea is an

intervention that is expected to

create indirect effects that are

difficult to detect. The key

ecological effects of the sand

extraction activities are expected

to be the loss and (eventual)

recovery of the sea floor and

seabed life at the sand pits and

their direct environs. In addition,

the release of silt will possibly

affect the natural processes in

the local food web (multiple

interconnected food chains) and

the number of crustaceans and

birds in the area. This MEP will

reveal the causal relationships

Monitoring, Evaluation, and corrections

57

between the sand extraction

operations and the measured

changes. This will

lead to insight in the intervention

effect chains. The MEP is

carried out on the basis of

baseline measurements.

Samples of the sea floor were

taken at 300 locations in the

direct vicinity of the sand pit and

in the area from Vlissingen to

the Wadden Sea in order to

determine the composition of the

local seabed. Such measurements

will be repeated every two years

during and after the sand

extraction activities. The

monitoring in the context of

the MEP Sand Extraction is

performed by the Project

Organization Maasvlakte 2.

MEP Land Reclamation

The objective of this MEP is to

check whether the actual effects

of the Maasvlakte 2 land

reclamation are sufficiently

compensated, and in due time,

by the results of the environmental

compensation measures

(the seabed protection area and

the dunes). The findings of this

MEP can result in corrections to

the compensation programmes.

The responsibility for the

monitoring and evaluation of

the effects of the land reclamation

will be borne by the State.

The MEP Land Reclamation

consists of a large number of

smaller scale studies that have

been ordered according to the

ecosystems Voordelta, North Sea,

and dunes. The following themes

will be reviewed: the seabed

58

morphology, benthos (organisms

on the sea floor), coastal birds

and seabirds, user functions in

the sea area (cables, pipelines,

and fishery), silt transport, and

physical and ecological

parameters in the dune areas.

Baseline measurements have

been carried out since 2004.

These measurements will be

rounded off as soon as

construction commences.

Standing by the agreements

The Project Organization

Maasvlakte 2 already invited

various conservation and

environmental organisations to

consult on the elaboration of the

implementation of the agreements

regarding all projects covered by

the Rotterdam Mainport Develop-

ment Project. The organization

strives to create as wide a support

base as possible, to reach

agreements, and to be accountable

for its work. In the course of 2008,

this already led to the signing of a

partnership agreement with

Vereniging Natuurmonumenten

(Society for the Preservation

of Nature in the Netherlands),

Stichting Duinbeleid (Dune

Policy Association), Stichting

Zuid-Hollands Landschap

(The South Holland Landscape

Association), and Zuid-Hollandse

Milieufederatie (Environmental

Federation South Holland). This

agreement also involved various

partners of the Rotterdam Mainport

Development Project, including

the Municipality of Rotterdam.

More interest groups are expected

to join the partnership.

59

This publication provides general information on the environmental impact of the Maasvlakte 2 project.

We would like to refer interested parties to sources of detailed information that are made available on the

Internet. Here, you will also find the most important documents:

• Zoning plans: guidelines for the sustainable planning and operation of Maasvlakte 2.

• Permits for land reclamation, sand extraction in the North Sea and protection of the natural environment.

• ‘Passende Beoordeling’: the effects for the Voordelta and other protected nature areas.

• Environmental Impact Assessment Construction Maasvlakte 2.

• Environmental Impact Assessment Zoning Maasvlakte 2.

Information on Maasvlakte 2

www.maasvlakte2.com

www.portofrotterdam.com

Information on the Rotterdam

Mainport Development Project

www.mainport-pmr.nl

www.rotterdam.nl/pmr

www.zuid-holland.nl/pmr

www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/noordzee

Further information:

Project Organization Maasvlakte 2

Port of Rotterdam Authority

Wilhelminakade 909

World Port Center

Havennummer 1247

Postbus 6622

3002 AP Rotterdam

The Netherlands

T. +31 (0)10 252 10 10

E. infomv2@portofrotterdam.com

This publication was printed on FSC-cer tif ied paper.

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