Port of Amsterdam Opens Second All Weather Terminal

The recent dedication of the second All Weather Terminal in the Port of Amsterdam will more than double the handling capacity for weather sensitive products. This facility is the only one of its kind in The Netherlands. Since the first All Weather Terminal was completed in l998, the volume of weather sensitive cargo, such as paper and pulp products, steel coils and aluminum, has grown from 230,000 to 850,000 tons. As a result of the positive response of the market, Waterland Company, the designer and operator of the first terminal, has constructed a second facility, which will increase terminal handling capacity to over 2 million tons. The combined length of the two terminals is now approximately 590 ft. Operating 365 days a year, the All Weather Waterland terminals, located at the Amsterdam West harbor, can load and unload coastal vessels and river barges under all weather conditions. Water sensitive goods, such as steel coils, paper and pulp products and aluminum will be stored in Waterland’s climatized storage facilities. Operations from coastal vessels directly onto river barges are handled under roof and offer direct connections with the German and Swiss hinterland. Waterland Terminal owner, Dick Broeder, stated ‘that the first covered terminal grew from 220,000 tons annually to 850,000 tons in three years time. Last year we handled 370 ocean vessels and we saw the need for a second, even bigger terminal in order to handle larger vessels and to offer a better turn around.’ Dick Broeder added ‘With the new terminal we will be capable of increasing our under roof to a capacity of 2,000,000 tons per year. Supporting the excellent throughput, each terminal offers one high speed gantry overhead crane with 40 tons lifting capacity. According to Hans Gerson, Director of the Amsterdam Port Authority, ‘this dedicated terminal for water sensitive goods is a good example of how an innovative concept is contributing to an increased flow of breakbulk cargo, generating value added services and transit in a multipurpose port.’ The Port Authority has been happy to help finance the first phase of the all weather terminal, when three years ago the financial community believed the risks to be too high. We did believe in the project from the start, and we had great confidence in the Waterland management. Th results have been even better than expected. Now, for the second phase, there has been no trouble finding the necessary finance. Amsterdam ports handled 68 million tons of cargo in 2001 and is the fastest growing port in the Hamburg – Le Havre range.