The municipalities of Rotterdam, Dordrecht and the other "Drechtsteden" in the Netherlands will join forces to boost the maritime cluster in the area.
To achieve this, a cooperation agreement was signed between Rotterdam's alderwoman Jeanette Baljeu (Port, Regional Economy, etc.), Dordrechts alderman Jasper Mos (Port, Economic Affairs, etc), and the person responsible for maritime affairs in the Drechtsteden, Hans Tanis.
Promoting the Maritime Cluster
Together with maritime companies (from manufacturing to service providers) and knowledge and educational institutes, the municipalities will work together on international promotion, labour market policies and innovation.
Alderwoman Baljeu: 'The maritime cluster offers opportunities and is of world class, but we have to be better at showing that, Together with the companies in our region, we can strengthen our competitiveness in Europe and worldwide.'
High Concentration of Maritime Companies
The Drechtsteden and Rotterdam can boast a high concentration of companies active in shipbuilding, hydraulic engineering, maritime suppliers and maritime service providers. The shipbuilding and offshore industru are mostly centred in the inland ports of the municipalities.
Last month, the agreement was presented to a number of maritime top companies such as Van Oord, Anthony Veder, IHC Merwede, Damen Shipyards, ING, HDI-Gehrling and the STC-Group.
Picture: Port in the city of Dordrecht (by G. Lanting, Wikimedia Commons)
