(With photo album) After opening the new Traffic Control Centre Rotterdam in 2010 (a combination of Traffic Control Centre Botlek and Traffic Control Centre City), alderwoman Jeanette Baljeu officially opened the new Traffic Control Centre Hook of Holland on 4 April. SWZ Maritime editor visited the opening, took a tour and made the pictures in the album below.
The opening took place through sounding the bell of the SS Statendam.
Bunker
The Port of Rotterdam Authority is now even better prepared to handle the expected increase in shipping. The new control centre is located where there was once a bunker dating from the Second World War. This bunker was once a link in the Atlantikwall which reached from Norway to Spain. The bunker is now a part of the new centre.
Traffic Centre’s Reach
The North Sea is one of the busiest shipping areas in Europe. Traffic Control Centre Hook of Holland guides ships from 57 km off shore up to the Maeslantkering and the entire Europort area.
100 Traffic Attendants
The Rotterdam port area covers aprroximately 100 km. Every year, about 32,000 ocean going ships and 130,000 inland vessels arrive in this area. Together they create 900,000 traffic movements. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is responsible for the safety and order in the port. From the new Control Centre approximately 100 traffic attendants use 38 radars to safely guide traffic through the port.
VTS-sectors
The Port of Rotterdam is divided into eleven VTS-sectors (Vessel Traffic Services). The Traffic Control Centre Hook of Holland covers five sectors. Through advanced equipment, shipping is monitored.
The pictures below were taken at the opening of the new centre by SWZ Maritime editor Hugo Dill. Please click the little squares at the bottom right of the album to watch the pictures in their proper dimensions.
