Project Description

  • Project name: Design of masterplan expansion Port of Rotterdam
  • Project location: The Netherlands
  • Name of client: Rotterdam Port Authority
  • Partners: Rotterdam Port Authority, Project Organisation, W+B
  • Project value: 2.9 billion Euro
  • Period: Mar 2004 – Oct 2006

Description of the project

A Master plan for the staged flexible development of Maasvlakte 2, a 2,9 billion euro port expansion up of 1.000 hectares of an area dedicated to container handling (600 hectares), distribution facilities (200 hectares) and chemical industry (200 hectares).

The challenge was the creation of sufficient flexibility in the design to cope with the considerable future changes in the years up to 2035. For that reason a design concept has been chosen that optimizes the flexibility of phased development. The outer contour of the extension has been constructed in the first phase. Within this contour a phased reclamation and construction of port infrastructure, based on client demand, will eventually lead to 1.000 hectares of port area.

The design process was structured in such a way that the internal rate of return of the total project could be optimized while maintaining a maximum project budget. The business case financial model and the Master plan design were checked and balanced via a design cycle.

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

Services provided by Port Consultants Rotterdam

  • Project management of the Master plan study.
  • Set-up of the design structure.
  • Development of scenario’s.
  • Guidance of nautical (simulation model) investigations.
  • Development of functional requirement specifications.
  • Preparation and evaluation of tender and contract documents for a container terminal concession.
  • Support to the Environmental Impact Assessment procedures.