Circular City Ports - Workbook
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>City</strong>-port context of Rotterdam<br />
‘Open’ mainport - re-shufflement as tool<br />
for making (local) value chains across<br />
different milieus<br />
147<br />
1 Description of location in relation to other<br />
(sea/) ports<br />
The port of Rotterdam is the largest port of Europe,<br />
and it stretches over a surface of nearly 40 km. the<br />
port of Rotterdam is in close relation to Dordrecht,<br />
which represent a big potentiality for connections<br />
with a vast inland network of waterways<br />
2 Description of current activities<br />
The activity taking place in the port of Rotterdam are<br />
especially related to container transshipment and<br />
transport. Furthermore, the second mayor activity<br />
present in the port is related to the chemical industry,<br />
in close relation with the port of Antwerp.<br />
3 Description demographic/socio-economic dynamics.<br />
The demographic growth of the city is increasing<br />
the housing demand. This phenomenon is putting<br />
under risk some of the port areas close to the city.<br />
At the same time, at the policy level, there is not<br />
much facilitation and regulation regarding the transition<br />
toward a more circular economy for the port.<br />
4 Why, and in what way is circularity looked at?<br />
Rotterdam has a large industry lobby at the table<br />
that is difficult to move, the transition to a more circular<br />
economy is read as paying for the transition to<br />
industrial symbiosisThe port of Rotterdam strives<br />
to transform its current petrochemical sector into<br />
a sustainable industry that recycles materials and<br />
greatly reduces CO2 emissions. The port already<br />
has a large cluster of recycling and bio-based materials<br />
and raw materials production. By offering “plug<br />
and play” infrastructure for new locations and for the<br />
development of new production processes, it has a<br />
facility in “Plant One” for the rapid implementation<br />
of pilot and demonstration projects. In addition, it<br />
stimulates start-ups in various ways and the interaction<br />
of these start-ups with established companies.<br />
In four transition scenarios that she has drawn<br />
up, she shows how, together with other transition<br />
paths, such as waste-to-chemicals, CO2 storage,<br />
and renewable energy, the bio-based industry can<br />
make the port almost completely circular in 2050.<br />
5 Who gives substance to this, which partnerships/programmes/initiatives<br />
are made?<br />
The overcapacity in bio-fuels can be compared with<br />
the excessive waste incineration capacity in the<br />
Netherlands. The incinerators run below their optimum<br />
and sometimes even loss-making. As long<br />
as that situation continues, the market is primarily<br />
interested in filling that gap, and not in achieving<br />
high-quality (re) use of waste or biomass. The stalemate<br />
that these yields becomes a new concern for<br />
the government, which then seeks to mitigate industrial<br />
suffering with subsidy and trade instruments.<br />
6 Is there already a discourse around cityports?<br />
(Yes/no) Who is behind it and what are the ambitions/motives?<br />
In 2011, a vision for the city port of Rotterdam was<br />
built by the port authority in collaboration with the<br />
municipality of Rotterdam. With the city ports, and<br />
specifically RDM and the Makers District, a route<br />
has been chosen to better facilitate makers, they do<br />
this primarily from a kind of growth process in which<br />
“innovative” makers are given a platform to grow.<br />
(not much programming or concrete infrastructure<br />
work; on the other hand, development of M4H + will<br />
come with some new building codes, legislation)
Change language