Round table conference on Ports and the Hinterland
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[Distinguished guests], ladies and gentlemen,
One of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is that I have to travel a lot.
This allows me to get to know the culture and people in many parts of the world.
At first, it is mainly the differences that stand out.
A different language, different customs, different etiquette.
But on deeper examination, I often see that we actually have a lot in common.
I have been looking forward to this return visit to China, with this large delegation of world class companies.
I was also looking forward to seeing with my own eyes how this country’s illustrious history combines with its flourishing economy, traditions and contemporary dynamism.
In my country, the rich history of China arouses both interest and wonder.
For example, book printing is a Chinese invention.
And China also led the way in navigation and cartography, by, among other things, being the first country to use the compass to navigate the seas.
But it is not only your illustrious past that commands respect in my country.
After decades of uninterrupted economic growth, even in this current global economic crisis the Chinese engine has hardly skipped a beat.
I have heard that in the first half of this year, China took over from Germany as the world’s largest exporter.
This spring, during the visit of Minister Li Shenglin to my country, I predicted (a slight bluff, I admit) that recovery from the global recession would begin in China.
I said that only then would other large markets, like Europe, be able to completely recuperate.
At that time, I had no idea that five months later China would already be moving in an upward trend.
This gives us hope for our not-so-distant future.
Developments in China have a great impact on my country with its open economy and the port of Rotterdam as the gateway to Europe.
In recent years, the growth of Dutch seaports could largely be attributed to the flow of goods from your country.
Already eight percent of Dutch import is Chinese.
Already 150 Chinese companies have an office in the Netherlands.
And so I say: after three centuries of trade relations, China and the Netherlands remain natural partners.
We are interested in your resoluteness and the large scale of your activities.
You are interested, I believe, in our high-quality and finely meshed logistics systems and infrastructure.
The Netherlands is making its way in the world with a mere 16 million inhabitants. We are 16th on the world economy rankings, the fifth exporter and the sixth foreign investor.
Where global trade is concerned, Shanghai and the Netherlands complement one another seamlessly.
And this applies to knowledge sharing too. For example, the Netherlands contributed expertise in the building of the spectacular Yangshan deep-water port that has now been in use here in Shanghai for several years.
Allow me to broadly sketch how the Netherlands would like to develop further as a transhipment and transport nation. Traditionally, the Netherlands is a country that lives from trade and transport.
The port of Rotterdam is one of the driving forces behind our economy.
The port links my centrally situated country with the entire world.
The Dutch government does not regard this mainport as a stand-alone entity. Rather, it is part of the whole transport and logistics network that includes other sea ports like Amsterdam, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport as important junctions.
Thinking in terms of networks makes it possible to make the best decisions on investing in space and infrastructure that are important to the whole country.
The Dutch government ensures that the conditions are present under which the business community can operate as efficiently as possible.
We make seaports accessible. We reserve space. We lay rail lines for freight trains. And we invest in the efficient processing of goods by the customs service or inspectorate.
We also support innovation in order to grow into a European market leader in chain management.
In the Netherlands, the business community, knowledge institutions and the government have joined forces in a logistics innovation programme.
The intention of this new programme is to triple logistics activities in the Netherlands.
Expressed in terms of money: to increase it from three billion euros to ten billion.
It is up to the many high-quality companies that are active in the Netherlands to make use of the opportunities offered.
This leads to excellent results.
A good example is the innovative container transfer system at the port of Rotterdam, that no longer involves human hands.
Sustainability applies both as a limiting condition and as an opportunity in this. The consequences for the environment, the climate and nature play an important role in the choices we have to make.
At the same time, there is a global demand for doing business sustainably and economically. Sustainable transport is the future.
The port of Rotterdam will expand thanks to the construction of the so-called Tweede Maasvlakte.
This is currently in full swing. We are reclaiming thousands of hectares of land from the sea, thus expanding the capacity of the port of Rotterdam by no less than one-third.
I can inform you that in the first quarter of 2009, the market share of Rotterdam in the area from Hamburg to Le Havre rose by 2 percent to over 37 percent.
Capacity is important, but it is not all.
The priority has to be quality.
Quality as a logistics hub, the quality of the services provided and the quality of our links to the hinterland.
This quality has been increased by, among other things, the construction of the so-called Betuwe Line.
For two years now, this dedicated freight rail corridor has linked the port directly to Germany.
The line covers a total of over 1500 kilometres, ultimately arriving at the Italian port of Genoa.
In the Amsterdam port area, we are building a new goods yard, to better connect that area with Europe.
With a view to the entire network, at the same time we are improving crucial road links.
These are already good, but the Netherlands could do with less traffic congestion in peak hours.
This would also benefit goods transport to and from the ports.
By combating traffic congestion we are benefitting both the environment and the economy.
By expanding roads, as well as by using them differently.
For example, I am working on the introduction of a new, advanced system whereby road users will pay for using their cars and not for simply owning them. Satellite technology will assist us in this. The government is also encouraging companies to allow their employees to travel outside of peak hours.
We are thus working on several fronts to improve the flow of traffic.
At the same time, we are making our fleet of vehicles more sustainable, with clean and economical cars.
At first glance this may not seem to have much to do with port activities.
But it does belong to our total logistics strategy.
Remember: the demand for clean and economical cars is growing globally.
This naturally offers opportunities for ports, given that innovative cars will also have to be transported.
The image the Netherlands is projecting of itself in Europe is one of a testing ground for electric cars by financially supporting their development and purchase.
Like here in China, for example, where BYD and Shanghai Automotives are investing in driving green cars.
Economical cars are popular in my country, certainly in these times in which consumers are watching the pennies even more carefully.
I am interested in innovative Chinese discoveries, including in the field of ITS, traffic management and electric cars.
Alongside hinterland links by road and rail, let us for all not forget waterways.
Inland waterways are a fine way of transporting goods to the hinterland without traffic congestion.
My country has a finely-meshed network of waterways that connects us to the European hinterland.
It will come as no surprise that in the Netherlands we are improving our links over the water, at the European level as well as nationally.
The port of Rotterdam supports these developments by making agreements with companies that will be located on the Tweede Maasvlakte.
These companies should only transport one-third of their containers by road.
The majority should go by train or barge.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are thus working on the entire network on different fronts, with a view to developing the economy and our living environment.
I wanted to illustrate how the Netherlands is projecting itself as the country for the provision of transport and logistics services.
Our excellent transport links with the economic centre of Europe, and from there with the rest of the world, are a unique selling point for the Netherlands.
This weighs even more heavily in the balance now that the global economy is sailing in dangerous waters.
I trust that China and the Netherlands will further strengthen each other in this regard.
Today offers us an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and experiences with our Chinese partners.
I am looking forward to contributing to the discussion on conceptual innovations at Chinese ports and hinterland links.
Thank you for your attention.