[ Amsterdam Ports See Continued Growth Goods Transport ]

In the first half year goods transshipment at Amsterdam Ports increa
sed by 4.4 percent to 28.5 million tons. Notably, there was greater m
ovement in dry bulk and general cargo against the first half-year of 1
998. The dry bulk sector rose by almost 6 percent to over 20 million
tons and the general cargo sector by 8.4 percent to 3.3 million tons.
Movements of liquid bulk fell by 3.2 percent to 5 million tons.

Amsterdam Port Authority Executive Director Godfried C.G. van den He
uvel is very pleased with his port's current performance. "We are one
of the few ports in western Europe to be showing growth at the moment
. If we can continue on this course we will end the century with anoth
er record. Amsterdam is succesful primarily because port-based compan
ies are increasingly concentrating on specialised niche markets and go
ods processing in addition to simple transshipment. This is making Ams
terdam a processing port with real added value, a characteristic we ai
m to emphasise and profile in the future."

He adds that in the short term he expects transports via Amsterdam P
orts to continue to rise due to the completion of the new Afrikahaven
and the new container terminal. "But this means that maritime accessib
ility of our ports will have to keep pace. The speedy expansion of the
sea lock complex at IJmuiden is an urgent necessity."