The ferry ride from Rotterdam to Dordrecht is only an hour long, but it seems to take you centuries away. Boat seems the most appropriate way to travel to the oldest city in Holland, which thrived for centuries thanks to its location at the intersection of three rivers. Wood, grains and genever — a traditional Dutch spirit flavored with juniper — were among the goods local merchants shipped out to the rest of the world. In the 1870s, some of the genever was made by Simon Rutte, whose distillery still stands, seven generations later, in a square about a 15-minute walk from the harbor along winding cobblestone streets.
From the outside of this modest three-story building, you’d never imagine the extent of what goes on in what you might call the flavor factory inside. In the tasting room, adorned with vintage family photos, there are about two dozen dark-glass spritz bottles, each labeled hazelnoot, Kaffir lime, oranje-bloesem and an assortment of other fruits, nuts, herbs, flowers and spices. They’re the aromas of the individual distillates that are blended to craft various genevers, such as Old Simon, the founder’s recipe involving roasted hazelnuts and almonds, cinnamon, mace and celery.
“It’s the broadest category in the world,” said Myriam Hendrickx, master distiller and former food scientist, of genever. “You have all elements from gin in terms of having flavors from so many botanicals, and all the variables in whiskey, grain-wise and aging-wise. Plus you can age it or not.”
Read more at:
In the Netherlands, a foray into cocktail history - The Washington Post
Showing posts with label Rotterdam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rotterdam. Show all posts
11/18/21
5/17/21
European Song Festival: Eurovision makes Covid-lite return in the Netherlands
The glamour of Eurovision is back, with the Dutch hosting a scaled-down, coronavirus-safe version this week after the song contest was cancelled last year.
Delegates will be officially welcomed at the grand opening of this year's week-long event on Sunday afternoon, which includes a glitzy "Turquoise Carpet" event where contestants will strut their stuff, organisers said.
But four teams have already been nixed from the opening ceremony after a Polish and Icelandic delegate tested positive for Covid-19 and Malta and Romania are staying away as a precaution because they are staying in the same hotel.
French singer Barbara Pravi is the bookmakers' favourite to win the Eurovision song contest
Good news for U.S fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. Ahead of Tuesday’s first semi-final, it has been confirmed that the Peacock streaming platform https://www.peacocktv.com/ will air all three shows in the United States. It is set to be available to users of both the premium and free option of the site. Netflix US streams the contest on delay. Pre-qualifying contests are on May 18 and May 20 starting at EST 15.00hrs and PT 12.00hrs. The Grand Final will be on Saturday May 20 starting at EST 15.00hrs and PT 12.00hrs.
Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eurovision-makes-covid-lite-return-in-the-netherlands/ar-BB1gMseX
Delegates will be officially welcomed at the grand opening of this year's week-long event on Sunday afternoon, which includes a glitzy "Turquoise Carpet" event where contestants will strut their stuff, organisers said.
But four teams have already been nixed from the opening ceremony after a Polish and Icelandic delegate tested positive for Covid-19 and Malta and Romania are staying away as a precaution because they are staying in the same hotel.
French singer Barbara Pravi is the bookmakers' favourite to win the Eurovision song contest
Good news for U.S fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. Ahead of Tuesday’s first semi-final, it has been confirmed that the Peacock streaming platform https://www.peacocktv.com/ will air all three shows in the United States. It is set to be available to users of both the premium and free option of the site. Netflix US streams the contest on delay. Pre-qualifying contests are on May 18 and May 20 starting at EST 15.00hrs and PT 12.00hrs. The Grand Final will be on Saturday May 20 starting at EST 15.00hrs and PT 12.00hrs.
Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eurovision-makes-covid-lite-return-in-the-netherlands/ar-BB1gMseX
5/16/20
Eurovision: Abba's Waterloo voted best song of all time
Eurovision: Come Together saw the public vote for their favourites,
on the night that this year's song contest was due to take place.
The 2020 competition was cancelled in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Swedish foursome won it in 1974 in Brighton. The track, which topped the UK charts and set them on their way to fame, went on to sell nearly 6m copies.
Speaking later on the night, Bjorn Ulvaeus from the band said he found it "hard to believe" that was where it began for them all those years ago.
Read more at:
Eurovision: Abba's Waterloo voted best song of all time - BBC News
The 2020 competition was cancelled in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Swedish foursome won it in 1974 in Brighton. The track, which topped the UK charts and set them on their way to fame, went on to sell nearly 6m copies.
Speaking later on the night, Bjorn Ulvaeus from the band said he found it "hard to believe" that was where it began for them all those years ago.
Read more at:
Eurovision: Abba's Waterloo voted best song of all time - BBC News
10/17/19
9/2/19
The Netherlands: EUROVISION: the popular Song contest will be held in Rotterdam next year
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7/21/19
EUROVISION SONG COMPETION: Rotterdam and Maastricht remain in the running to host 2020 song festival
Read full report at::
https://nltimes.nl/2019/07/17/rotterdam-maastricht-still-running-host-eurovision-song-competition
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8/24/17
Netherlands - Terrorism: Rotterdam incident: Police stop van containing gas cylinders as rock concert cancelled over 'terror threat'
 |
| City of Rotterdam |
The band, Allah-Las, was due to play on Wednesday evening at the Maassilo venue.
Concert organizer Rotown released a statement saying they had been advised by the authorities to cancel the show.
It came after the van, parked near the venue, was discovered by police.
Rotterdam's mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, said the van's driver had been detained and was being questioned.
Mr Aboutaleb said the concert was cancelled after a tip-off from Spanish police, who are continuing to investigate a twin terror attack in Catalonia that left 15 people dead.
A counter-terrorism official said late on Wednesday the detained van was not connected to the recent vehicle attacks in Spain.
Definition of Terrorists: "A group of mentally disturbed, brain-washed people, who do not respect "democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs."
Read more: Rotterdam incident: Police stop van containing gas cylinders as rock concert cancelled over 'terror threat' | The Independent
7/31/17
The Netherlands: Fire shuts down Europe′s largest oil refinery in the Netherlands
Royal Dutch Shell has suspended loadings of oil products from the Pernis
refinery after a fire caused the shut down of most of its production.
The extent of damage is being investigated.
The night sky over the port of Rotterdam was alight after the blaze broke out Saturday at the high-voltage power station at Shell's Pernis refinery.
Shell spokesman Thijs van Velzen said the flames were extinguished by Sunday morning. Nobody was injured. Firefighters brought the fire under control by around 6 am (0400 GMT/UTC).
Read more: Fire shuts down Europe′s largest oil refinery in the Netherlands | News | DW | 30.07.2017
The night sky over the port of Rotterdam was alight after the blaze broke out Saturday at the high-voltage power station at Shell's Pernis refinery.
Shell spokesman Thijs van Velzen said the flames were extinguished by Sunday morning. Nobody was injured. Firefighters brought the fire under control by around 6 am (0400 GMT/UTC).
Read more: Fire shuts down Europe′s largest oil refinery in the Netherlands | News | DW | 30.07.2017
3/25/15
The Netherlands: "Can’t touch this": Muslim students sue Dutch medical university over physical exam
 |
| Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands |
The two Muslim girls filed a case against Erasmus MC at the Board of Appeal for Higher Education in The Hague, De Volkskrant daily reported Tuesday.
All students in the course must go through a physical examination provided by their fellow students. The exam involves looking at the chest, abdomen, and legs, and must be performed both by a male and female student.
The requirement raised concerns among the Muslim students, who did not want to be examined by a male.
However, they stressed that in the future they would practice without making such distinctions.
One of them initially applied for an exemption, but her request was denied. Although the other student has already completed the subject, she decided to support her colleague at the Board of Appeals.
David Drexhage from Erasmus MC says the practical experience student gain during such exams is important for their professional skills. “The students also have to experience how an examination feels for a patient. That promotes understanding.”
Students are aware that this part of the studying process is required during enrollment, he added.
Erasmus MC believes that if the Board of Appeals makes a decision in favor of the students, it will have profound implications for the entire course procedure. The Board of Appeals is expected to make a decision in about six weeks.
Note EU-Digest: Lets hope the 'Board of Appeals' does not cave in to this utterly incomprehensible request by students who have chosen the medical profession, where these procedures are common day practice.
Reading this you also realize that Islam is in "deep need" of reformers like the Christians had in the 16th century with Martin Luther and John Calvin. They brought religious, political, intellectual and cultural renewal that splintered the radical Catholic Europe of those days, setting in place the political structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era.
Come on, it's 2015 now and Muslims are still hanging on to medieval customs and rituals. If Muslims want the "others" to remove the Islamophobia label they put on them, they should "put their money where their mouth is", or as some would say, "wake-up and smell the roses" - do something about it. Don't blame everyone else but yourselves !
As to the two girls who sued the Erasmus University, the suggestion would be, why don't they go to a University in a Muslim country, or anywhere else for that matter, if they can't live with the rules at Erasmus?
Read more: Can’t touch this: Muslim students sue Dutch medical university over physical exam — RT News
8/15/14
European Ports: Port Strategy - Ports must be prepared for every eventuality
It
seems like it was only yesterday that we were discussing the heavy
burden of overcapacity in Northern European ports, but today those same
hubs now face the other extreme of too much traffic and what to do with
it all, writes Carly Fields.
Three things have conspired to create tailbacks at Rotterdam and
Hamburg, which have been lengthening since the start of the year. First
up is an apparent disregard for on-time vessel calls by shipping lines.
Why stick to a schedule, when you can turn up whenever suits you and
watch a port – desperate to retain business in a cut-throat market –
kowtowing to your every loading or unloading need.
Second, the summer holiday season in the Northern hemisphere has taken its toll on the available workforce. Third, new equipment and the subsequent faster handling of containers are also being blamed for the congestion.
None of these are the fault of Rotterdam or Hamburg port authorities, yet they are both having to scramble around to put policies in place to deal with an ever-increasingly backlog.
Thinking on its feet, Rotterdam announced it would divert inland waterway barges and feeder ships transporting export and import containers from the congested ECT Delta and Euromax terminals to three smaller terminals, where consignments will be consolidated for onward transportation to the larger facilities.
- See more at: http://www.portstrategy.com/news101/insight-and-opinion/viewpoint/every-eventuality#sthash.X2sN1spd.dpufSecond, the summer holiday season in the Northern hemisphere has taken its toll on the available workforce. Third, new equipment and the subsequent faster handling of containers are also being blamed for the congestion.
None of these are the fault of Rotterdam or Hamburg port authorities, yet they are both having to scramble around to put policies in place to deal with an ever-increasingly backlog.
Thinking on its feet, Rotterdam announced it would divert inland waterway barges and feeder ships transporting export and import containers from the congested ECT Delta and Euromax terminals to three smaller terminals, where consignments will be consolidated for onward transportation to the larger facilities.
 |
| Port of Rotterdam = Europe's largest port |
Three things have conspired to create tailbacks at Rotterdam and Hamburg, which have been lengthening since the start of the year.
First up is an apparent disregard for on-time vessel calls by shipping lines.
Why stick to a schedule, when you can turn up whenever suits you and watch a port – desperate to retain business in a cut-throat market – kowtowing to your every loading or unloading need.
Second, the summer holiday season in the Northern hemisphere has taken its toll on the available workforce. Third, new equipment and the subsequent faster handling of containers are also being blamed for the congestion.
None of these are the fault of Rotterdam or Hamburg port authorities, yet they are both having to scramble around to put policies in place to deal with an ever-increasingly backlog.
Thinking on its feet, Rotterdam announced it would divert inland waterway barges and feeder ships transporting export and import containers from the congested ECT Delta and Euromax terminals to three smaller terminals, where consignments will be consolidated for onward transportation to the larger facilities.
Read more: Port Strategy - Ports must be prepared for every eventuality
7/16/14
The Netherlands: World's Largest Vessel to be Assembled in Rotterdam
Pieter Schelte’, the biggest vessel in the world, is to be
completed in the port of Rotterdam. Owner and designer Allseas and the
Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed an agreement to this effect. The
plan is for ‘Pieter Schelte’ to arrive in Rotterdam at the end of 2014,
informs the Port of Rotterdam.
‘Pieter Schelte’ is 382 metres long and 124 metres wide. The length, in combination with the massive width, makes this vessel unique with the ability to lift topsides off offshore platforms weighing up to 48,000 tonnes and jackets up to 25,000 tonne
The vessel is intended for installing and removing topsides and jackets of large offshore oil and gas platforms in a single lift. At the bow of the vessel is a slot, where topsides are lifted. It is also equipped for laying large pipelines and, with her capacity, will be the largest pipelay vessel as well.
Read more: World's Largest Vessel to be Assembled in
‘Pieter Schelte’ is 382 metres long and 124 metres wide. The length, in combination with the massive width, makes this vessel unique with the ability to lift topsides off offshore platforms weighing up to 48,000 tonnes and jackets up to 25,000 tonne
The vessel is intended for installing and removing topsides and jackets of large offshore oil and gas platforms in a single lift. At the bow of the vessel is a slot, where topsides are lifted. It is also equipped for laying large pipelines and, with her capacity, will be the largest pipelay vessel as well.
Read more: World's Largest Vessel to be Assembled in
4/22/14
The Netherlands:- Environment: Most of us know we should live in a sustainable way. But it doesn't happen because we don't feel involved.
Most of us know we should live in a more environmentally sustainable
way. But it does not happen because we do not really feel involved.
How can policymakers change the way people think? This is what the InContext project, funded by the EU, hopes to answer. Leading European research institutions in the fields of transition, behaviour and sustainable development are trying to create a manual for change.
This manual should ultimately be developed into a so-called ‘Transition Theory’ that is, as yet, unproven. And this theory, in its turn, should make it possible to change people’s mindset. For example, towards living in a more environmental sustainable way.
A number of pilot projects have been initiated in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The idea was to put this theory to the test, to refine it and hopefully to prove it right. For example, in the Dutch city of Rotterdam a community centre in the neighbourhood of Carnisse was facing cutbacks. It was due to be closed down in January 2012. Drift, the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, which is a project partner, took it upon itself to help the people of Carnisse save it.
Project leader Julia Whittmayer, researcher and consultant, and other colleagues of Drift invited residents to come up with ideas, and to present them in brain storming sessions. This resulted in a plan of action. This also gave people an opportunity to decide themselves how they could help.
It was expected that this process would provide inspiring examples from amongst the residents of Carnisse to motivate others to spring into action. Thus they would ultimately make a ‘bigger noise’ and save the community center. But to Whittmayer’s dismay, many preferred “to be told what to do!” instead.
It might be true that inspiring examples can help change. But it is just as true that some people rather want to be told what to do, according to behavioural psychologist Max Mulder, who is a market researcher at the Dutch consultancy called Beautiful Lives, based in Hilversum.
Read more: Most of us know we should live in a sustainable way. But it doesn't happen because we don't feel involved.
How can policymakers change the way people think? This is what the InContext project, funded by the EU, hopes to answer. Leading European research institutions in the fields of transition, behaviour and sustainable development are trying to create a manual for change.
This manual should ultimately be developed into a so-called ‘Transition Theory’ that is, as yet, unproven. And this theory, in its turn, should make it possible to change people’s mindset. For example, towards living in a more environmental sustainable way.
A number of pilot projects have been initiated in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The idea was to put this theory to the test, to refine it and hopefully to prove it right. For example, in the Dutch city of Rotterdam a community centre in the neighbourhood of Carnisse was facing cutbacks. It was due to be closed down in January 2012. Drift, the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, which is a project partner, took it upon itself to help the people of Carnisse save it.
Project leader Julia Whittmayer, researcher and consultant, and other colleagues of Drift invited residents to come up with ideas, and to present them in brain storming sessions. This resulted in a plan of action. This also gave people an opportunity to decide themselves how they could help.
It was expected that this process would provide inspiring examples from amongst the residents of Carnisse to motivate others to spring into action. Thus they would ultimately make a ‘bigger noise’ and save the community center. But to Whittmayer’s dismay, many preferred “to be told what to do!” instead.
It might be true that inspiring examples can help change. But it is just as true that some people rather want to be told what to do, according to behavioural psychologist Max Mulder, who is a market researcher at the Dutch consultancy called Beautiful Lives, based in Hilversum.
Read more: Most of us know we should live in a sustainable way. But it doesn't happen because we don't feel involved.
1/12/14
European Cruise Business: Giant cruise ship to be based year-round in Europe
In the latest sign that Europe has come of age as a year-round cruise destination, Norwegian Cruise Line today announced it would permanently deploy its largest ship to the region.
Speaking aboard the soon-to-debut Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan revealed that the 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic would move to Barcelona year-round in April 2015.
"Consumers in Europe love the ship," Sheehan told reporters during a preview sailing of the Getaway out of Rotterdam for European travel agents.
Read more: Giant cruise ship to be based year-round in Europe
Speaking aboard the soon-to-debut Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan revealed that the 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic would move to Barcelona year-round in April 2015.
"Consumers in Europe love the ship," Sheehan told reporters during a preview sailing of the Getaway out of Rotterdam for European travel agents.
Read more: Giant cruise ship to be based year-round in Europe
9/20/13
Belgium: PSA Antwerp expanding its hinterland terminal port network
Recently PSAA Europa Terminal (quay 869) and PSAA Deurganck Terminal (quay 1742) became the ‘terminals of call’ for the rail connection to/from Athus (Belgium). These PSAA terminals will now be able to offer to shipping lines, forwarders and shippers a direct rail connection to Athus, respectively 2 and 3 times a week.
Furthermore, depending on the volume demand the possibility exists to organize two additional calls a week on the river terminals of PSAA (quay 869, quay 1742 and/or PSAA Noordzee Terminal – quay 913).
Athus was the most important rail link in the NARCON network and this inland location services a wide hinterland area, ranging from Belgian Lorraine, to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and French Lorraine/Alsace to the German Saarland and Rhineland-Pfalz.
As an alternative to the termination of the rail bundling concept in the port of Antwerp PSAA is providing the synchromodal consolidation of the Athus rail cargo (both by barge and truck).
In addition, the partnership with Delta Marine Terminal (DMT) in Moerdijk (Netherlands) was also formalized yesterday. The existing barge connection with three barge shuttles a week between the PSAA terminals and DMT will be optimized. It is the aim to shortly establish a similar paperless customs concept, by analogy with the CT Vrede set-up (to their inland terminal locations in Amsterdam & Zaandam), launched late August 2013.
Also, with the inland terminal operators in Ghent, La Louvière, Brussels (Belgium) and Gorinchem (The Netherlands) formal agreements have been made to realize barge connections to/from all PSAA terminals.
Read more: PSA Antwerp expanding its hinterland network
Furthermore, depending on the volume demand the possibility exists to organize two additional calls a week on the river terminals of PSAA (quay 869, quay 1742 and/or PSAA Noordzee Terminal – quay 913).
Athus was the most important rail link in the NARCON network and this inland location services a wide hinterland area, ranging from Belgian Lorraine, to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and French Lorraine/Alsace to the German Saarland and Rhineland-Pfalz.
As an alternative to the termination of the rail bundling concept in the port of Antwerp PSAA is providing the synchromodal consolidation of the Athus rail cargo (both by barge and truck).
In addition, the partnership with Delta Marine Terminal (DMT) in Moerdijk (Netherlands) was also formalized yesterday. The existing barge connection with three barge shuttles a week between the PSAA terminals and DMT will be optimized. It is the aim to shortly establish a similar paperless customs concept, by analogy with the CT Vrede set-up (to their inland terminal locations in Amsterdam & Zaandam), launched late August 2013.
Also, with the inland terminal operators in Ghent, La Louvière, Brussels (Belgium) and Gorinchem (The Netherlands) formal agreements have been made to realize barge connections to/from all PSAA terminals.
Read more: PSA Antwerp expanding its hinterland network
12/28/12
Netherlands - Ports - Shipment of goods via Rotterdam port up by 1.7 pct
The amount of goods shipped through Rotterdam port in the Netherlands in 2012 grew by 1.7% to reach 442 million tonnes, the Rotterdam port authority announced on Friday.
The growth was mainly due to an increase in shipment of crude oil and oil products, President of the port of Rotterdam, Hans Smits, said in a statement.The amount of goods shipped through Rotterdam port in the Netherlands in 2012 grew by 1.7% to reach 442 million tonnes, the Rotterdam port authority announced on Friday.
The growth was mainly due to an increase in shipment of crude oil and oil products, President of the port of Rotterdam, Hans Smits, said in a statement.
Shipment of of crude oil increased by 6%, and mineral oil product by 12% this year. Shipment of naphtha, gas oil, diesel, kerosene and petrol also increased. A total of 214 million tonnes of liquid bulk was handled. This cargo segment thus represents half of the cargo throughput in the port of Rotterdam, said the statement.
LNG imports remained at a low level, because the prices in Asia are much higher, resulting in the product being transported to the Far East rather than to Europe.
Read more: KUNA : Shipment of goods via Rotterdam port up by 1.7 pct - Economics - 28/12/2012
The growth was mainly due to an increase in shipment of crude oil and oil products, President of the port of Rotterdam, Hans Smits, said in a statement.The amount of goods shipped through Rotterdam port in the Netherlands in 2012 grew by 1.7% to reach 442 million tonnes, the Rotterdam port authority announced on Friday.
The growth was mainly due to an increase in shipment of crude oil and oil products, President of the port of Rotterdam, Hans Smits, said in a statement.
Shipment of of crude oil increased by 6%, and mineral oil product by 12% this year. Shipment of naphtha, gas oil, diesel, kerosene and petrol also increased. A total of 214 million tonnes of liquid bulk was handled. This cargo segment thus represents half of the cargo throughput in the port of Rotterdam, said the statement.
LNG imports remained at a low level, because the prices in Asia are much higher, resulting in the product being transported to the Far East rather than to Europe.
Read more: KUNA : Shipment of goods via Rotterdam port up by 1.7 pct - Economics - 28/12/2012
11/18/12
Flood Control: How Dutch innovations could prevent Sandy-type flooding in New York - by Jason Sheftell
How can we prevent this from happening again?
That’s the question on the lips of those from New York’s hardest-hit streets. City architects and officials have been trying to answer that question and consider ways to protect New York from another storm of Sandy’s magnitude since her waters receded.
Jackson Heights-based architect Haiko Cornelissen grew up below sea level in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He took note as his country employed flood-prevention measures in harbors, along the coastline and in various housing styles constructed specifically to survive water disasters.
Acting fast after Sandy, Cornelissen has set up the website NL4US.com, which offers safe and sustainable solutions for rebuilding in flood-prone areas in the United States.
Concepts including amphibious houses and anti-flood systems around bridges are described in detail. Speaking to engineers in his home country, the architect considered cost, time, building codes and location before lending his thoughts.
The Dutch government took a bold step in the 1950s to preserve the Netherlands’ southern end with an unprecedented flood protecting infrastructure called Delta Works.
Based on the Dutch example, the Storm Surge Research Group at Stony Brook recommended in 2004 to use a similar solution with movable barriers around the New York Harbor, including under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
“Thinking along these lines, I combined the Verrazano with the Maeslantkering, a barrier that protects Rotterdam, the busiest harbor of Europe," Cornelissen says. “The Maeslantkering completed the Delta Works after four decades of building the complete flood-protection infrastructure. The area has not flooded since.
“While the Bloomberg administration has aggressively promoted waterfront development in the city, the New York waterfronts are now the areas hit hardest by the recent storms,” says the architect.
“Therefore one alternative to promote waterfront development is to use floating houses as seen in new parts of Amsterdam.”
Read more: How Dutch innovations could prevent Sandy-type flooding in New York - NY Daily News
That’s the question on the lips of those from New York’s hardest-hit streets. City architects and officials have been trying to answer that question and consider ways to protect New York from another storm of Sandy’s magnitude since her waters receded.
Jackson Heights-based architect Haiko Cornelissen grew up below sea level in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He took note as his country employed flood-prevention measures in harbors, along the coastline and in various housing styles constructed specifically to survive water disasters.
Acting fast after Sandy, Cornelissen has set up the website NL4US.com, which offers safe and sustainable solutions for rebuilding in flood-prone areas in the United States.
Concepts including amphibious houses and anti-flood systems around bridges are described in detail. Speaking to engineers in his home country, the architect considered cost, time, building codes and location before lending his thoughts.
The Dutch government took a bold step in the 1950s to preserve the Netherlands’ southern end with an unprecedented flood protecting infrastructure called Delta Works.
Based on the Dutch example, the Storm Surge Research Group at Stony Brook recommended in 2004 to use a similar solution with movable barriers around the New York Harbor, including under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
“Thinking along these lines, I combined the Verrazano with the Maeslantkering, a barrier that protects Rotterdam, the busiest harbor of Europe," Cornelissen says. “The Maeslantkering completed the Delta Works after four decades of building the complete flood-protection infrastructure. The area has not flooded since.
“While the Bloomberg administration has aggressively promoted waterfront development in the city, the New York waterfronts are now the areas hit hardest by the recent storms,” says the architect.
“Therefore one alternative to promote waterfront development is to use floating houses as seen in new parts of Amsterdam.”
Read more: How Dutch innovations could prevent Sandy-type flooding in New York - NY Daily News
8/20/12
Netherlands: Europe's largest harbour's 'sea-leg' taking shape
Four years ago, Queen Beatrix gave Rotterdam the final nod to extend her kingdom into the North Sea to expand Europe's largest harbour - and forever change the shape of the Dutch coast.
Planned for 15 years, the Dutch monarch's signature was a final requirement to set in motion one of the largest maritime construction projects of its kind in the Netherlands in 70 years - extending the Port of Rotterdam by an area equivalent to more than 3,000 football fields.
Next year, when the first phase of the Maasvlakte 2 project is completed, a new harbour stretching three kilometres (1.8 miles) into the sea will have risen 23 metres (76 feet) from the sea floor.
Built at a total cost of 3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) Maasvlakte 2 is seen as the crown jewel at the entrance of the iconic Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest and the world's fourth-largest harbour.
Read more: Europe's largest harbour's 'sea-leg' taking shape | Business Recorder
Planned for 15 years, the Dutch monarch's signature was a final requirement to set in motion one of the largest maritime construction projects of its kind in the Netherlands in 70 years - extending the Port of Rotterdam by an area equivalent to more than 3,000 football fields.
Next year, when the first phase of the Maasvlakte 2 project is completed, a new harbour stretching three kilometres (1.8 miles) into the sea will have risen 23 metres (76 feet) from the sea floor.
Built at a total cost of 3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) Maasvlakte 2 is seen as the crown jewel at the entrance of the iconic Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest and the world's fourth-largest harbour.
Read more: Europe's largest harbour's 'sea-leg' taking shape | Business Recorder
6/6/12
The Netherlands: Rotterdam Port expansion granted €900 million EIB loan
The Port of Rotterdam Authority has announced that it has secured a €900 million ( US $ 1.13 Billion) loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance the future expansion of the port. The 30-year loan will be used in part to help in the funding of the port’s €3 billion land reclamation project, Maasvlakte II.Maasvlakte II will expand Europe’s largest container port by a further 2,000 hectares to a total of 12,000 hectares. “The volume of this €900 million EIB loan together with its very long duration makes it the cornerstone of our investment financing,” said Port of Rotterdam CFO Paul Smits.
Funding agreements for the flagship infrastructure initiative were signed by European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer and Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Hans Smits and CFO Paul Smits during a visit to the Netherlands. “The European Investment Bank is pleased to have worked closely with the Port of Rotterdam Authority over many years to ensure that expanded port facilities provided by Maasvlakte 2 can benefit economic activity in both the Netherlands and elsewhere in north-western Europe.”
DP World and APM Terminals will both operate new container facilities Maasvlakte 2, with both terminals scheduled to begin operations in 2014.
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