The Ports of Duisburg and Rotterdam Expand Cooperation

The ports in Duisburg and Rotterdam continue their close cooperation: In the presence of Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, a new Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed last week. This strengthens the two important European logistics hubs in their goal to jointly develop sustainable transport corridors via waterways and future-oriented initiatives for the energy transition – for the benefit of industry and the supply chain between and within Rotterdam and Duisburg.

(Duisburg/Rotterdam) NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst: “The Port of Rotterdam, as the largest seaport in Europe, and the Duisburg Port, as the largest inland port in the world, together make a decisive contribution to the industrial future of North Rhine-Westphalia. Both ports will become central hubs for hydrogen and CO₂, thus becoming important partners on our path to a climate-neutral industry. The deepening of cooperation between the two ports is good news for North Rhine-Westphalia. The close connection between Rotterdam and Duisburg strengthens the competitiveness of our economy, especially the resilience of our supply chains. North Rhine-Westphalia remains a logistical hub of Europe, for energy supply as well as for military mobility in case of alliance. ” Rotterdam and Duisburg thus stand as representatives of a strong, interconnected Europe in a time of global upheaval. “Their cooperation is a signal of confidence: When we modernize infrastructure and deepen partnerships, we secure the future viability of our continent – economically, ecologically, and in terms of security policy,” Wüst said.

New Focus: Export of CO2 for the ‘hard to abate’ Industry

A central new component of the cooperation is the export of CO2. This is crucial for the ‘hard-to-abate’ industry, as decarbonizing these industries through CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage) is not possible without strong ports and efficient transport chains. The ports of Duisburg and Rotterdam thus create the conditions for cross-border CCU/CCS activities, namely the targeted capture, storage, and utilization of carbon dioxide.

Another focus of the agreement between the two ports is to strengthen the Rhine corridor as a cross-border sustainable logistics axis. The Rhine corridor forms the backbone of European industrial supply and enables efficient, sustainable connections of production sites to international markets. As the most important waterway in Europe, it ensures the security of supply and competitiveness of numerous companies along the entire value chain.

Pooling Expertise for a Competitive Industry

“We face great challenges that we can overcome together much faster, more efficiently, and more intelligently,” emphasizes duisport CEO Markus Bangen. “Especially in the areas of energy transition and sustainable logistics, it is crucial that we pool our expertise and develop joint, cross-border solutions. Logistics is a team sport – and the Port of Rotterdam is our ideal partner.”

“Currently, 13 percent of Europe’s energy needs are imported through Rotterdam,” says Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “So far, these are mainly fossil energy sources, but in the long term, we want to become Europe’s import port for renewable energies. Inland shipping and thus our cooperation with duisport play a special role in the further transport of these energy sources. The waterway therefore needs a strong lobby, and we are pleased that Minister-President Wüst is making a clear statement with his visit to Rotterdam.”

The two ports had already signed a Letter of Intent in 2022 for cooperation in the areas of rail and hinterland development, digitalization, and energy transition. Previous successes include the partnership with the Brazilian port in Pecem for the transport of green energy to Europe, progress in the collaboration of the digital port community systems RheinPorts and Portbase, and the demonstration of the first low-carbon ammonia transport during the visit of the Dutch king in November 2023.

Photo: © duisport / Caption (l. to r.): duisport CEO Markus Bangen and Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority (front), NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, Dr. Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Netherlands (back)