Port of Rotterdam Authority informed that started a new trial in the Europoort’s Calandkanaal fairway. Namely, through this project the port will pay attention to vessels, basically oil tankers, that transit cargo at dolphins 82, 83 and 84 along the Rozenburg Peninsula.
In fact, the project’s trial will focus whether it makes sense to advance the maximum permitted draught for ships leaving this area.
According to research, departing vessels with a draught of 21.8 metres could safely navigate this area. Currently, the maximum permitted draught is 21.5 metres.
Deep-draught vessels have to adhere to fixed time windows. Thanks to new software applications, these windows can be calculated according to tighter margins – increasing the timeframe for deep-draught vessels to safely depart the area.
…Port of Rotterdam authorities informed.
For the records, a possible increase in the maximum permitted draught from 21.5 to 21.8 metres would meet with the Port Authority’s policy to increase efficiency in shipping traffic with the aid of digitalisation.
In case that the trial successes, the Port Authority goals to adapt the maximum permitted draught in other areas along Calandkanaal.
Overall, Port of Rotterdam recently recorded breakbulk growth in 2019. In terms of combined transhipment of heavy lift, project cargo, steel, forest products, automotive and non-ferrous metals, a significant increase of 2.9% was recorded on an annual basis.
