This is according to the World Economic Forum in ”The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011”. Hong Kong’s wet infrastructure was deemed to be the best in the world, followed by Singapore. The Netherlands came third, before Belgium and Germany.
The level of the current infrastructure is largely the result of the major investment projects in Rotterdam between 1994 and 2008. Billions were and are spent on roads and railways (the A15 Motorway, Port Railway Line/Betuwe Route), quays, terminals (especially at the present Maasvlakte), refineries/chemical industry and tank storage (e.g. Shell, Vopak, LyondellBasell, Huntsman, ExxonMobil, Odfjell) and biofuels.
In the period until 2015, investments will certainly not decrease and counted as from 2007 amounts almost €15 billion. The government earmarked almost € 1.5 billion for improving and increasing the capacity of the backbone of the port area: 45 km. long road corridor between the Maasvlakte in the west and the hinterland. The Port of Rotterdam Authority annually spends some € 175 million on the maintenance and expansion of roads, quays, safety, the environment, IT systems, etc. in the present port area. Trade and industry are currently set to invest around € 10 billion. This amount is, despite the hesitating economy constant. Withdrawn projects were in general compensated by new ones, especially to produce cleaner mineral fuels.
In addition to all this, the Second Maasvlakte is to be built, costing around € 3 billion.
[mappress]
Source: portofrotterdam, September 17, 2010