The Harbour of Rotterdam

The port of Rotterdam originated in the Middle Ages. The port provided for trade through which the city grew. In the sixteenth century, the port also had an important function in the fishing industry. During the colonial era, it was not this port but the port of Amsterdam that was the center of colonial trade. The main traders were located in Amsterdam, and this port was easy to reach.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the German Ruhr region was heavily industrialized. It was of extra importance to the Dutch government to optimize port accessibility. The steel industry in the Ruhr area needed a lot of ore, which Rotterdam could easily transport via through the Rhine.

Haven van Rotterdam
About half of the port was destroyed by bombings during World War II. After the war, the government invested heavily in the reconstruction and expansion of the port. The port continued to grow rapidly after the war, making it difficult to accommodate the number of ships. In the twentieth century, petroleum became more important for the economy.

Due to the construction of the Europoort in the 1960s, mammoth tankers could now moor here. Another addition to the port was the Maasvlakte, which was built in 1970. A piece of sea was reclaimed for this purpose, so that companies could be established here. From 1962 to 2004, the port of Rotterdam was the largest port in the world. Nowadays, Rotterdam is the fourth largest, behind Shanghai, Ningbo and Singapore. Rotterdam is still Europe’s largest port.

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