Business case Maasvlakte 2

Maasvlakte 2 is a 2.9 billion euro expansion in the Port of Rotterdam, resulting in an extra 1000 ha terminal area of 1.000 hectares dedicated to container handling (600 hectares), distribution facilities (200 hectares) and chemical industry (200 hectares).

A SPC has been created for which a management methodology had to be adopted (Prince 2), the content of the project had to be defined, staff needed to be hired/managed and budgets needed to be prepared. The main challenges of the project was the management of the environment and the public opposition to the project. Communication with stakeholders has been a substantial part of the assignment as well as developing environmental methods and tools to meet the challenges.

In order to financially manage the project, arrange finance, optimize the return of the project, convince the shareholders, etc., a business case has been developed and managed. Special emphasis was put on risk analysis and management.

In order to be allowed by the National Government to start the project, a launching customer had to be contracted prior to the construction of the project. A concession contract with container terminal operators had to be signed. In order to achieve this objective a number of new policies has been introduced such as a tender procedure, a new pricing policy, a new environmental policy and several tender instruments. A tender was organised to contract the launching customer. PCR’s primarily responsibility was for the development of the financial analysis, business case, risk analysis and management, the procurement strategy, design of bidding documentation, and bid evaluation.