Sea-going vessels will be temporarily prohibited from using Parkkade and Lloydkade in central Rotterdam from 20 October. The European Commission carried out an inspection there in mid-September 2023 to improve port security. The results indicated that the current security measures at these public docks do not meet the expectations of the European Commission.
Roughly 1700 sea-going vessels use the public berths at Parkkade and 400 use those at Lloydkade every year.
The other Dutch public docks will also be investigated further by the European Commission. The regulations concerned are the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) which has applied to sea-going vessels and port facilities receiving them since 2004. These regulations focus on the contact between the vessel and the quay – the ‘ship-shore interface’ – and require security measures for both the vessel and the port facility.
Camera surveillance was chosen for Parkkade and Lloydkade due to the public space, the inhabited surrounding area and the protected cityscape. This measure was initially considered adequate. As the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have interpreted and implemented European laws and regulations differently, the European Commission has now deemed this measure insufficient.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority is now investigating alternative (public) docks for ships that use Parkkade and Lloydkade. Moreover, it is working on measures to allow sea-going vessels to use the public docks again as soon as possible. It is unclear how long the situation will last, but we will keep stakeholders updated on any progress.
