FT: Europe's Largest Port Prepares For War With Russia
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Rotterdam began reserving space for NATO cargo ships and planning military exercises.
Europe's largest port, Rotterdam, is preparing for a possible war with Russia by reserving space for ships carrying military cargo and planning where to divert cargo if a conflict breaks out.
According to Financial Times the executive director of the Rotterdam Port Authority, Budewijn Simons, the port is coordinating with neighboring Antwerp in case British, American and Canadian vehicles and cargo arrive.
The Dutch Defense Ministry announced earlier in May that the port of Rotterdam would have to provide space to handle ships carrying military cargo at NATO's request. Simons said one or more ships would dock at the pier for a few weeks, four or five times a year. There will also be military exercises several times a year.
The port of Rotterdam is 42 kilometers long. It handles about 436 million tons of cargo annually, receiving 28,000 ships by sea and 91,000 ships by river from Germany and the interior of Europe. The port has a history of handling arms, notably during the 2003 Gulf War, but even at the height of the Cold War it did not have a dedicated dock for them.
Now neighboring Antwerp regularly receives supplies for US troops stationed in Europe. It handles 240 million tons of cargo a year, making it the second-largest port in the EU.
Simmons also urged European countries to stockpile ag commodities, as they do with oil.
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"We should do the same with materials such as copper, lithium, graphite and a number of other important raw materials," he said, adding that areas around ports that have good distribution networks are suitable for such stockpiles.
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