Rotterdam to expand quey with shore power and widen canal for mega container ships

The Port of Rotterdam will build a quay with 12 shore-powered tug berths in the Yangtze Canal, which connects the Beerkanaal and the inland lake of Maasvlakte 2, by the end of 2024.

PHOTO: The jetty of the former Fast Ferry has to give way to the tugboat quay on the Yangtze Canal. Port of Rotterdam

The berths will be equipped with shore power that can cut the tugboats' emissions while they are docked.

As of now, some of the world's largest container ships can sail through the Yangtze Canal between the terminals of APMT 2 and RWG in the Prinses Amaliahaven.

Rotterdam's port authority is building another 2,400 metres of quay wall for container ships, and widening a 1,400-metre stretch of the canal, to allow for increased traffic from mega container ships in the port.

The Yangtze Canal will be widened on the south side by over 500 metres for building the quay.

When it is due for completion in 2030, the new quay will be able to receive the upcoming generation of container ships that span 430 metres in lenght and 66.5 metres in width.

With more of the largest container ships in the global fleet able to call at Rotterdam, the port could see more bunker demand as these are some of the biggest fuel consumers.

By Nitin Sharma

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