Central and regional government are making agreements for development of the port of Rotterdam and the region

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Parties involved in the port of Rotterdam, including the Port of Rotterdam Authority, have presented joint agreements regarding important developments for the resource and energy transition, residential construction, accessibility and the balance with the living environment, such as landscape development and limiting noise pollution. This represents a joint substantiation of their shared perspective on the long-term development of the area.

From left to right: Marjolein Jansen (dg Ruimtelijke Ordening, ministerie van VRO), Rosita Thé (Directeur DCMR), Marion Smit (dg Luchtvaart en Maritieme Zaken (DGLM) ministerie van IenW), Wolter Leiseboer (Regioambassadeur Zuid-West, ministerie van KGG), Wethouder Chantal Zeegers (gemeente Rotterdam), Gedeputeerde Arne Weverling (Provincie Zuid-Holland) & Berte Simons (COO Havenbedrijf Rotterdam). Photo: Fred Libochant

This is the first time that such a broad coalition of organizations has worked together on strategic spatial planning choices and the acceleration of projects in the port of Rotterdam region. This is necessary because many different spatial and social challenges converge in the region. Short-term choices are decisive for the long term and vice versa. Central and regional government want their collaboration to create a future-proof port in an economically powerful region that is attractive to live and work in. At the same time, the collaboration does not include everything that is realized and maintained in the area, and the parties retain their own administrative decision-making powers.

Agreements from the implementation agenda

• There is a lack of space in the port of Rotterdam. NOVEX parties are therefore launching an investigation into the usefulness, necessity, and environmental impact of various solutions that also strengthen the living environment. This involves a study of the existing port area, industrial sites in the region, and a possible expansion of the port. The first analyses are expected before the summer.
• Bottlenecks for the transition of the port in the areas of space, nitrogen, and waste legislation will be addressed jointly. Additionally, the parties will make further agreements in the coming year about how hydrogen developments in the port can be safely facilitated.
• The region also has a major task in the area of residential construction, not least because it needs to attract and retain employees for companies in the port. Furthermore, port activities influence the possibilities for residential construction and vice versa. In 2025, the impact of the residential construction task will be better mapped out and a plan will be made for how the necessary housing can be realized through bespoke solutions.
• Parties are implementing current plans to provide the container, breakbulk, cruise, and RoRo terminals with shore power by 2028 (and by law no later than 2030). Parties are investigating the possibility of further expanding shore power facilities to liquid bulk terminals and tankers, and other locations near urban areas.
• The transition of the port is now stalling over nitrogen rules. In the implementation agenda, NOVEX partners have agreed to come up with a plan of action in 2025 for restoring nature in the Natura 2000 areas within 25 kilometres of the port and for reducing nitrogen in the port.

See the implementation agenda for all objectives, agreements, and projects.

From an implementation agenda to an investment agenda

In early December 2023, the national government, together with the province of South Holland, the municipality of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, established a development perspective for the port. Publication of the ‘Implementation Agenda 1.0 NOVEX Port of Rotterdam 2025–2050’ represents initiation of the next phase. The following step is to link financial resources to the joint objectives, agreements, and projects.

NOVEX Partners Programme for the port of Rotterdam

The national ‘NOVEX Programme’ (National Environmental Vision Execution) is the basis for close cooperation between the various levels of government on spatial planning. The Netherlands has sixteen NOVEX zones and a site-specific solution is proposed for each area. The ‘Port of Rotterdam NOVEX zone’ is one of those areas.

Photo: Martens Multimedia

The NOVEX programme for the port of Rotterdam is a collaboration between the Province of South Holland, the Municipality of Rotterdam, the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, the Ministry of Housing & Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Climate Policy & Green Growth, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security & Nature, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. These parties are seeking cooperation with the municipalities of Voorne aan Zee, Nissewaard, Albrandswaard, Maassluis, Vlaardingen, Schiedam and Dordrecht, Hollandse Delta Water Authority, Safety Region Rotterdam, Rotterdam-Rijnmond Municipal Health Service (GGD), Deltalinqs, South Holland Nature & Environment Federation, Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague, and Rijnmond DCMR Environmental Protection Agency.