Over the past year, 29,646 sea-going vessels entered the port of Rotterdam, over 600 more than the preceding year, but the number of incidents in the port fell from 159 to 129. The decrease in the number of minor incidents can be explained by the Port Authority’s investments in infrastructure in recent years.
Over the past five years, the number of inspections also decreased from 11,000 to approximately 8,500. For example, 2017 was the first year in which the Seaport Police and the Port Authority held joint inspections of pleasure craft in the port area. In the meantime, there was a significant drop in the number of minor spills.
In the area of digitalization, the past year marks the Port Authority’s first participation in a pilot project that focuses on autonomous shipping. The Harbour Master René de Vries expects this trend to become explicitly relevant for Rotterdam in the medium term and is introducing standardisations with the port’s Traffic Guidance System to prepare it accordingly. In 2018, the Port Authority will continue to participate in pilot projects that take structural advantage of autonomous shipping – and unmanned aircraft – in its own operations.
In addition, 2017 saw various worldwide agreements being signed about international terminology within the shipping sector. This development is important for the PRONTO (Port Rendezvous Of Nautical and Terminal Operations) project. This online communications platform supports ship agents and other operators. The main objective is to realise a more transparent and efficient planning of ship services, including pilotage and the use of terminal and bunker services. This results in fewer and shorter delays. PRONTO will be rolled out further over the course of 2018.
As a consequence of a large-scale global cyber attack with ransomware which affected companies all over the world – including a container terminal in the port of Rotterdam – one could observe a stronger general focus on cyber security in the second half of 2017, with the use of FERM platform. FERM was set up in 2016 by the Port Authority and various partners to inform companies in Rotterdam’s port area about cyber security and encourage collaboration in this area.
Concluding, the Port Authority wants to encourage the transition from fuel oil to LNG as a transport fuel for the shipping sector, by preparing systems and staff for the arrival of LNG-powered vessels over the last years. 2017 saw the first LNG bunker vessel, the Cardissa, become operational in Rotterdam’s port area. The relevant legislation and regulations have been improved and updated to enable the smoother bunkering of LNG. By 2020, René de Vries expects LNG bunkering will be a routine operation in the port.
