C. Steinweg Group has reached the grand old age of 175! First of all, congratulations are certainly in order. With the Port of Rotterdam Authority coming up to its 90th anniversary, Steinweg is almost twice as old. That’s wonderful to see, and it proves that the company can be counted as one of the founders of the port of Rotterdam. A company that has helped make the port great. The only company with its own terminal in each port area of Rotterdam (Waalhaven, Beatrixhaven, Botlek, Europoort and Maasvlakte). The largest party in break bulk: the driving force behind the breakbulk segment in Rotterdam.

We share that love for breakbulk. Especially in the Steinweg way. With a large number of additional services. Adding value. Good for clients and good for employment. All this demonstrates the entreprising spirit that has driven Steinweg for 175 years. Looking where added value can be provided and therefore delivering development and growth.

So, looking from that perspective, I am proud of the ambitious alliance that we have now established very specifically for the redevelopment of Pier 6 in the Waalhaven. One of the most modern multi-purpose breakbulk terminals in Rotterdam is being developed here. It will definitely give a boost to the ongoing development of our port as a European breakbulk hub.

I would also like to praise Steinweg’s enormous willingness to share responsibility for making the port-industrial complex climate-neutral. The electrification projects, solar panels and other planned sustainability measures at Pier 6 underscore this.

Now, in 2022, not least thanks to companies like Steinweg, Rotterdam is a world-class port and an important cornerstone of the economy, employment and prosperity. In 1847, when ‘old Steinweg’ began his shipping agency, access to the port was the main challenge. Here at the largest seaport in Europe, accessibility continues to be essential today. We are living in historic times and facing major transition challenges. Take the conflict in Ukraine, COVID, drug crime, disruptions in the logistical chain, and the energy and digital transitions. These changes make our role and relevance as a port more prominent and noticeable than ever.

Almost everything we eat, wear and use has been transported over water at least once. Thanks to the work done here, shelves in supermarkets are filled. Hospitals are provided with medication and other supplies. Fuel and building materials are delivered. And orders get to our homes. In the Netherlands, but also for approximately 350 million Europeans.

Our success today is no longer about throughput tonnage but about having an impact on society, on nature and on the climate. It’s about the change from big to great; about our social relevance. And about delivering income, jobs and prosperity in the cleanest and smartest way possible. At least as much vision and guts are needed now as they were back then, in 1847, to make Rotterdam and the region future-resilient. That is why we are looking ahead with the same pioneering mentality and fearlessness. So that – with the help of pioneers like Steinweg back in the day – we can make the same leap forward in welfare and prosperity in a sustainable way.

Allard Castelein
CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority