Europoort (European Port)

So, the greatest port of the world, biggest petrol place of reloading, greatest centre of inland navigation, capital of international trade, seat of many important banks, credit and insurance companies, all this is Rotterdam, the town in the Netherlands. The town, situated at mouth of Maas-river into North-Sea, is European gate into the world. Nearly 50000 vessels flow through this port, yearly turnover of goods is bigger as total turnover in Hamburg, Bremen, London, Marseille and Bordeaux alltogether. Harbour buildings and equipments are extended on surface of more than 10000 ha. The Europoort is uneasingly increased. Here, the vessels of draught of 280000 tonns at least can be ancored, and the surface takes an area of 4000 ha.

Along water-way, 13 kms long, connecting Rotterdam with North Sea, are located two from five refineries of Rotterdam port and many equipments of petrochemical industry. Further refineries are placed in inland in port of Botlek and also in two petrol-ports. Rotterdam is one of greatest centres of petrol working and plays as most important starting point of petrol switch-nest for North and West Europe. Just in Rotterdam, private petrol stations have their best chance for buying possibilities of relative cheap combustibles. Reservoir capacity for petrol in Rotterdam port makes more than 32 mil. cubic metres, and this is sufficient for storage of exploited quantity within fortnight of all OPEC countries. Rotterdam is also a centre of chemical industry, naval building, steel industry and machinery industry. This port is also most important export centre for agricultural products. In enormous market-centres, specialized for vegetables, tropical fruit, coffee and tobacco, there is effecting major part of West European trade with foodstuffs and eatables.

The town itself has 800 years long history. Its increase started in 1872, when Nieuwe Canal enabled the port direct connection with North Sea. The town, (joined with Maasa river with great European water ways), became main export centre for the whole Ruhr-area. Today, Rotterdam (588000 inhabitants) is the second greatest town of the Netherlands. It is, at the same time, a town, which lost completely its historical face: on 15th May 1940, the city centre was devastated, by German bomber plains into ruins and ash. So, Rotterdam became first victim of so called cover bombing raids of great town within Second World War. Nearly 900 people lost their lives at that time. After a time-period, when the town was reconstructed again, Rotterdam became again the town of importance, got before the war – the place of world trade, centre of interbnationa goods exchange.

Text: Jakub Štantejský and Monumente der Welt

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.org, Bertknot, AlfvanBeem, AlfvanBeem2, MTCV