#Port of Rotterdam - Zeelandport
Port of Rotterdam - Zeelandport is the Port of Rotterdam's vision for the near future. It deals mainly with opening up expansion of the port towards the South, into the province of Zeeland. Further details include the logisitical connections of these new, southward expansions. The following map gives a quick overview of the plans.
###Waalhaven & Hellevoetsluishaven
[The Waalhaven](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waalhaven_(Rotterdam)) is one of the easternmost sections of the greater Port of Rotterdam. This section very near one of Holland’s most prime locations, the city of Rotterdam. Although the Waalhaven is of very large commercial value, this simply does not weigh up against the urban value this area could potentially hold. As the population of Rotterdam grows, it increasingly runs into more issues. Amsterdam’s problems have largely been solved with the creation of the Markerpolder, but this reclaimed land is too far away to properly resolve Rotterdam’s issues.
The proposed solution is the closure of the Waalhaven, and to repurpose the area for a modern second city center for Rotterdam. This has the added benefit of limiting the usage of large, ocean-going ships in middle of Rotterdam, and thereby improving the air- and sound quality of Rotterdam.
As a replacement for the close Waalhaven, the town Hellesvoetsluis will see the creation of the Hellevoetsluishaven. The Hellevoetsluishaven is not just a replacement. It also has the economical function as a pilot project for expansion of the Port of Rotterdam southward. Currently, the Port of Rotterdam has little to no more room for expansion. To the west, the North Sea stalls expansions. To the east it is bordered by densely populated Rotterdam. To the north lies the North the agricultural powerhouse of the Westland. And finally to the south, rich and expensive Oostvoorne lies in the way. The Hellesvoetsluishaven-solution would bypass the town of Oostvoorne, possibly opening up an entire new area for expansion of the port of Rotterdam.
Hellevoetsluishaven also has a certain level of prestige attached to it. Hellevoetsluis used to be a naval and maritime powerhouse, possessing the world’s first drydock, and a land-enclosed fortress harbour to shelte
... keep reading on reddit ➡#Port of Rotterdam - Zeelandport expansion 1
Due to high demand at the Port of Rotterdam - Zeelandport project, an expansion project has been pushed up to happen concurrently with the main project. This expansion, alongside the original project can be viewed on this map.
###Hellevoetsluishaven 2
Hellevoetsluishaven, a political success that reinvigorated the sleepy town of Hellevoetsluis to its historical commerce roots, was envisioned as a replacement for the closed Waalhaven in Rotterdam. It appears however that there is a demand for expansion of the port facilities, and not just a replacement. Hellevoetsluishaven 2, a ~4 km^2 harbour wedged between the A24 and Hellevoetsluishaven 1 is one such answer to the high demand.
Although insufficient to deal with the increased demand by itself, its location makes it very interesting nonetheless. Hellevoetsluishaven 2 can connect right away to the original Zeelandport project’s infrastructure, providing an economically attractive first step of expansions.
###Spuihaven and the Spui-Maas canal
Going beyond the Hellevoetsluishaven (1&2), the Spuihaven will be built somewhat more inland. This sizeable 21 km^2 harbour is where the real demand increase will be handled. It primarily deals with connecting inland shipping with seagoing shipping.
It is connected to the Port of Rotterdam center via the Spui-Maas canal. The Spui-Maas canal is an expansion of the relevant portion of the Oude Maas and the Spui rivers. The canal follows these rivers for the most part. The sole exception being the Bereplaat, where the canal cuts through the land. The Spui-Maas canal is primarily intended for inland shipping, and is kept tidal-free via the Spuihaven Locks, an extension of the already in-development Spui-Middelharnis. The locks will be thusly placed that the Antwerpen-Rotterdam route does not pass through any of them.
This route serves not only a connection for the Spuihaven, but also as a Antwerpen-Rotterdam shortcut (instead of via the Rijn-Schelde connection), and a secondary route for Maasvlakte 3 and Hellevoetsluishavens.
###N217 expansion To serve better serve the Spuihaven, the N217 will be lengthened to join up with the N218 near Spijkenisse. This route will include a second toll tunnel on the road after the Kiltun
... keep reading on reddit ➡
