Circular City Ports - Workbook

City-port context of Dordrecht
Inland waterways port - global profiling
for local jobs
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1 Description of location in relation to other
(sea/) ports
Located between the port of Rotterdam and the
European hinterland, the port of Dordrecht has a
strategic location, in fact, it represents a Crucial
node in relation with hinterland connection, on
road and through water for main port of Rotterdam.
Furthermore, the port is connected through the main
waterways with the port of Antwerp, the Ruhr area,
but also Luxembourg and Switzerland.
2 Description of current activities
The main activities taking place in the port are related
to the water-based manufacturing industry, construction,
trade and logistics. Its strategic location
makes it an ideal location for inland shipping, delta
technology and maritime services.
3 Description demographic/socio-economic
dynamics.
The maritime sector is by far the most important,
and best developed inside the port, with 40,000 employees
(up to a population of 270,000), which represent
a great strength for the port and at the same
time for the city.
4 Why, and in what way is circularity looked at?
Dordrecht and the region suffer from a ‘brain drain’
and a relatively low percentage of highly educated
people and therefore want to focus strongly on the
maritime manufacturing industry as an engine for development,
revitalizing business parks (management
and interaction), and this is in line with the vision of
the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region. For
example, during time they started to build a series of
interfaces with the port of Rotterdam as: make use
of the same promotion and marketing agency DEAL,
in order to present themselves on the world stage.
Furthermore, the seaport of Louterbloesem is managed
by the Port of Rotterdam Authority. It is important
also to highlight the fact that, the global flux of
ships related to a world port like the Rotterdam one,
ifs strongly influencing the activities of the port of
Dordrecht, being a supplier
It is possible to state that Innovation and employment
are the main motives for looking at circular
economies and collaborations in the reality of this
port.
5 Who gives substance to this, which partnerships/programmes/initiatives
are made?
Programmes such as the PREC (Regional The
Drechtsteden, a group of seven neighboring municipalities,
was established to look into the development
of connections of waterways, building up important
trade routes and urbanization.
6 Is there already a discourse around cityports?
(Yes/no) Who is behind it and what are the ambitions/motives?
Cirkellab has established itself as an important
player in a transition to a CE. From two studies (iov
Dordrecht and Drechtsteden) it has built up a considerable
network of companies, institutions and
administrators around CE.
Furthermore, Cirkelstad Drechtsteden has been established,
which is a platform where these partners
work together on concrete projects (initially focused
on construction).