The seminar on challenges and technologies in shipbuilding and hinterland logistics
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Ladies and gentlemen,
‘Ankor’
‘Mast’
‘Skipper’
These are Russian words. But I recognise the Dutch versions easily: anker, mast, schipper. They are words that bear witness to the long history shared between Russia and the Netherlands, especially in the area of shipping. A history that reaches back to the end of the 17th century, when Tsar Peter the Great came to the Netherlands in order to learn about our maritime expansion.
Today, the maritime sector is still a significant part of our economy. The same is true for you here in Russia.
We see in the Netherlands that you are working towards a dynamic future. You are achieving high economic growth figures due to steady investments in transport and the oil and gas sector. This effort is bearing fruit. In the north-western region of Russia, especially, seaports have experienced rapid growth over the last three years. Ports such as St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Murmansk and Archangelsk are responsible for no less than 44 per cent of all commodities sales in Russia. Expectations for the growth of goods transport are high. For this reason, there is a great need in your region for new terminals and the associated infrastructure to promote the smooth movement of goods into and out of Russia. Great developments are in the planning. And I can assure you, as one of your largest trade partners, we are watching all of these developments with great interest.
In the Netherlands, long a centre of trade in the world, the maritime sector is an enormously important cornerstone of our economic prosperity. Water – the protection against flooding – and transportation by water have played and continue to play a vital role in our development of technology, the economy, industry, services and society as a whole. As a seafaring nation, there has always been intense shipbuilding activity within our country. These activities have brought our shipbuilding industry global renown. The Dutch have a rich tradition in the production of innovative maritime solutions.
Currently, the maritime sector is a close and innovative network of around 11 thousand companies. It employs 200 thousand people and has a turnover of some 27 billion euros, 64 per cent of which is export-related. It is made up of a cluster of companies to be reckoned with in the world. Companies that can deliver ‘top of the bill’ goods and services.
At the heart of today’s maritime sector, of course, is the port of Rotterdam, the world’s third-largest seaport. Together with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Rotterdam is the engine driving the economy. To handle worldwide growth in container shipping, we recently began building the Second Maasvlakte, which will provide an industrial zone of some 2500 acres. This project started with the creation of a banana-shaped island some 3 kilometres out from the present-day coast. From this island, slow but steady progress will be made to reach the current port. It’s an enormous task that will require all the knowledge and skills the Netherlands can muster to ensure the port can continue to develop.
The growth of international trade has led to a strong increase in the transport of containers and raw materials. Shipping firms and the inland shipping sector have ordered a record number of new vessels from shipyards. As the demand for port capacity continues to grow, there is plenty of work for dredgers. Developments in the oil and gas industry, such as the need to maintain a steady level of reserves, have also been beneficial to the offshore industry.
Of course, our international competition will not let this continued growth go unanswered. Faced with tough competition from Asian countries, the Dutch shipbuilding industry has become more flexible and highly innovative. We have a leading position in niche markets such as the dredging industry. Who in the world has not heard of IHC Holland Merwede or Damen Shipyards, builders of special vessels, or dredging companies such as Van Oord and Boskalis?
Dutch shipyards build the most complex ships and the most exclusive super yachts. We have the largest inland shipping fleet in Europe. The offshore sector is flourishing and our navy has some of the most modern ships in the world. Furthermore, research centres, engineering firms and other suppliers of advanced technologies, with their unique specialisations and high-quality knowledge, are making an important contribution to the future of the sector.
Increasingly, attention is being focused on combining economic growth with a growth in quality and sustainability. Issues surrounding growth are always linked to issues concerning the environment, noise and safety. This requires technological innovations. Specialised R&D institutes are laying the foundation for innovation in areas such as shipbuilding, maritime construction, materials technology and green ship constructions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to draw your attention to one last feature of the Dutch maritime sector. For us, most of the world consists of other countries. This requires us to enter into partnerships. In the true Dutch style of doing business, this is characterised by a team-player mentality. In the Dutch maritime sector, this characteristic is clearly present; the sector excels in situations in which not only a hierarchical client-supplier relationship is created, but also the partnership and our joint efforts to reach the final goal take top priority.
As global trade continues to grow, it pays to work together. We can overcome challenges by sharing best practices in cooperation with one another and building on the experience and considerable knowledge that we both have.
This is what we have always done in the past. It is what we are doing today and, I hope, will be doing far into the future. The Netherlands and Russia have come together today to listen and to learn. So, I would say, get all you can out of this golden opportunity.
I wish you all a very interesting conference.