Rotterdam expects to see container flows triple in the next 25 years.
This is due to the growth in world trade, the favourable geographic location and the increase in very large container ships, with a capacity of around 20,000 units each.
About 12 million TEU of the total throughput of around 30 million TEU in 2035 is expected to be shipped into and out of other European ports using smaller sea-going vessels.
Approximately 18 million TEU travels to and from the hinterland for the most part via intermodal transport.
For this flow, InlandLinks provides information on the transport possibilities and strives towards better utilisation of the network.
The further development of InlandLinks involves collaboration with hinterland terminals, shippers, forwarders, shipping lines and road haulage companies.
In the first phase, the number of users already increased to more than 3000 unique visitors a month. The larger, nationally operating forwarding agents in particular make great use of InlandLinks to select the most suitable hinterland terminal.
In the second phase, the user value for shippers and carriers in a specific region, who obviously already know their ‘own’ terminal well, will also increase considerably because greater insight into the opportunities for cooperation will be generated.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, October 2, 2012