[ Port of Amsterdam to Win More Industrial Space ]

The port of Amsterdam has permissionm to expand. The Amsterdam City Co
uncil gave its final approval for the construction of a new dock basin
, the Afrikahaven. It will be 1,900 metres long, 350 metres wide and 1
5.5 metres deep. Business sites totalling 375 hectares will be made av
ailable in the area around.
Activity in the Port of Amsterdam has been expanding rapidly. Goods tr
ansshipment have risen strongly over the last five years to a 1997 tot
al of almost 57 million tons. This and the healthy interest in the por
t as business location, have caused the number of available port sites
, in particular those on deep water, to drop considerably. Over recent
years, an average of 25 hectares annually have been leased to new com
panies or for the expansion of existing ones. Following the constructi
on of the Afrikahaven, the port will ultimately have access to sites t
otalling 375 hectares and 3,600 metres of quay suitable for transshipm
ent companies, port-bound industry and distribution operations. As a r
esult, goods transhipment capacity will increase by some 10 million to
ns.
Owing to its central location in Europe with good hinterland connectio
ns to Germany and central Europe and its high quality infrastructure,
Amsterdam is an attractive location for European distribution andd pro
duction operations. Many well-known international companies have made
it their home-Nissan, Cargill, Sigma, IBM, BP/Mobil, General Electric,
BFI and more. The proximity of airport Schiphol and the lively and en
tertaining city with its corporate and financial importance, culture a
nd well-educated professional population are an added bonus.
In order to meet the increasing demand for port locations in Amsterdam
as soon as possible, excavation activities were initiated last year i
n anticipation of the definitive approval. The first companies are exp
ected to move in as early as 1999. The new port area should be fully r
eady for water-bound operations by the year 2001. Total investment amo
unts to NLG 85 million.