FOUR years ago, Queen Beatrix gave Rotterdam the final nod to extend her kingdom into the North Sea to expand Europe’s largest harbor — and forever change the shape of the Dutch coast.
Planned for 15 years, the Dutch monarch’s signature was a final requirement to set in motion one of the largest maritime construction projects of its kind in the Netherlands in 70 years — extending the Port of Rotterdam by an area equivalent to more than 3,000 football fields.
Next year, when the first phase of the Maasvlakte 2 project is completed, a new harbor stretching three kilometers into the sea will have risen 23 meters 33 from the sea floor.
Built at a total cost of 3 billion euros ($ 3.6 billion) Maasvlakte 2 is seen as the crown jewel at the entrance of the iconic Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest and the world’s fourth-largest harbor.
“This project has forever changed the shape of the Dutch coastline,” Port of Rotterdam director Rene van der Plas said. “We needed more space and the only way was movement into a westerly direction — into the North Sea.”
But Maasvlakte 2 will also forever change the way the port does business.
By 2033, when its four deep-water basins become fully operational the new addition will nearly double the port’s current capacity of handling 19 million containers per year to 36 million.
It will allow super-sized container ships larger than aircraft carriers to dock around the clock and push Rotterdam’s sea traffic from a current 34,000 to an estimated 57,000 ships per year by 2035.
“The Port of Rotterdam will remain a key European transportation hub” in future years, said Rommert Dekker, professor in quantitative logistics at the Erasmus School of Economics at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
“Because Maasvlakte 2 is designed as a whole new harbor and not built on an existing infrastructure it will have the newest of the new technology available,” he said.
It was also specifically designed to handle the new larger container ships.
Over the last decade their capacity has nearly doubled to 18,000 containers, but their size swollen to some 400 meters long and 60 meters wide.
“These ships will need rapid on-and-off-loading cycles — which Maasvlakte 2 can provide,” Dekker said.
Coupled with an excellent combination of barges, rail and road infrastructure, Dekker said Rott3erdam will continue to outperform ports in Europe, he said.
And despite the current economic crisis in Europe, container traffic was expected to grow, Dekker added, saying “even with the lowest growth scenario, container traffic is expected to double by 2030.”
Building Maasvlakte 2 is a massive undertaking — more than 40 times the size of the Vatican — but just the type of project the Dutch have honed to a fine art over hundreds of years.
Since September 2008, up to 11 dredgers at a time have been sucking up sand off the Dutch coastline and dumping it in the area where the new port today is taking shape.
“It started off as a little island in the middle of the sea. If you go there today, you are already standing on a sand dune 14 meters above sea level,” Van der Plas said.
“The last time we had a project of this scale and nature was probably the Afsluitdijk,” he added, referring to the construction of the 32 kilometer-long dike between the North Holland and Friesland provinces.
Completed in 1932, the Afsluitdijk protects the fresh-water lake Ijsselmeer from the salt water Waddenzee, an inlet of the North Sea. It is still regarded today as a major feat of Dutch maritime engineering.
“In total, we are shifting some 3.8 million cubic meters of sand,” said Maasvlakte 2 contract manager Menno Steenman, who oversees the project.
“That’s enough sand to pave the road from here to our head office in Rotterdam, some 45 kilometers away, with a ‘wall’ of sand 200 meters high.”
Last month, Queen Beatrix returned to the site to oversee the closure of the new harbor’s 11 kilometer long sea-wall made from rocks and sand which will keep out the rough waters of the North Sea — an event broadcast live on national television.
Early next year a gap will be opened to connect Maasvlakte 2 with the rest of the Rotterdam harbor, with various phases of the port becoming operational over the next two decades.
“Being Dutch and being able to work with sand and water. It’s like a boy’s dream,” said Van der Plas.
Largest European harbor’s ‘sea-leg’ taking shape
Largest European harbor’s ‘sea-leg’ taking shape
‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Hamnet’ take top honors at Golden Globes
- While the Globes have a tradition of spreading the wealth around, Anderson became just the second filmmaker to ever sweep best film, best director and best screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ragtag revolutionary saga “One Battle After Another” took top honors at Sunday’s 83rd Golden Globes in the comedy category, while Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare drama “Hamnet” upset “Sinners” to win best film, drama.
“One Battle After Another” won best film, comedy, supporting female actor for Teyana Taylor and best director and best screenplay for Anderson. The director became just the second filmmaker to sweep director, screenplay and film at the Globes. Only Oliver Stone, for “Born on the Fourth of July,” managed the same feat.
Though “Hamnet” won the top award, “Sinners” won for best score and the prize for cinematic and box-office achievement. The win for box office and cinematic achievement, over franchise films like “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” was notable for “Sinners,” a movie that some reports labeled a qualified success on its release.
But “Sinners” ultimately grossed $278 million domestically and $368 million worldwide, making it highest grossing original film in 15 years.
“I just want to thank the audience for showing up,” said Coogler. “It’s means the world.”
Coming off years of scandal and subsequent rehabilitation, the Globes and host Nikki Glaser put on a star-studded ceremony that saw wins for the streaming sensation “KPop Demon Hunters” (best animated film, song), a meta triumph for Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” and an inaugural award for podcasting that went to Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang.”
Many of the Oscar favorites won. Timothee Chalamet won his first Golden Globe, for “Marty Supreme,” after four previous nominations. The 30-year-old is poised to win his first Oscar. Fellow nominees like Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney stood to applaud his win.
“My dad instilled in me a spirit of gratitude growing up: Always be grateful for what you have,” said Chalamet. “It’s allowed me to leave this ceremony in the past empty handed, my head held high, grateful just to be here. I’d be lying if I didn’t say those moments didn’t make this moment that much sweeter.”
Glaser comes out swinging
The Globes, held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, got underway with a pointedly political opening from host Nikki Glaser and an early award for the night’s favorite, “One Battle After Another.” Emceeing the show for the second straight year, Glaser kicked off the show with self-aware satire.
“Yes, the Golden Globes, without a doubt the most important thing happening in the world right now,” she said.
In a winning, rapid-fire opening monologue that landed some punch lines on the usual subjects — the age of Leonardo DiCaprio’s dates, Kevin Hart’s height — Glaser also dove right into some of her most topical material.
For the on-the-block Warner Bros., Glaser started the bidding at $5. Referencing the Epstein files, she suggested best editing should go to the Justice Dept. The “most editing,” however, she suggested deserved to go to Bari Weiss’ new CBS News — a dig at the Paramount Skydance-owned network airing the Globes.
Globes mix glitz and gloom
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty were the prevailing moods heading into Sunday’s awards. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros. Following the fatal shooting of Megan Good in Minneapolis by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, several attendees wore pins reading “Be Good” and “ICE Out.”
The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by more than 10,500 professionals.
But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech at the Globes can boost an Oscar campaign.
Jessie Buckley, the Oscar frontrunner, won best female actor in a drama, for her performance in “Hamnet.” In recent years, the Irish actor has had one of the fastest-ascending careers in film and theater. “I love what I do and I love being part of this industry,” she said.
Rose Byrne won best female actor in a comedy or musical for her performance in the not especially funny A24 indie “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”
Best actor in a drama went to Wagner Moura, the Brazilian star of “The Secret Agent.” The period political thriller also won best international film.
I think if trauma can be passed along generations, values can do,” Moura said. “So this to the ones who are sticking with their values in difficult moments.”
Other winners Sunday included the supporting actor frontrunner, Stellan Skarsgård who won for the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value.” It was the first major Hollywood movie award for the 74-year-old, a respected veteran actor who drew a standing ovation.
“I was not prepared for this because I, of course, thought I was too old,” said Skarsgård.
‘The Studio’ and ‘Adolesence’ win
In the television awards, “The Pitt” took best drama series, while Noah Wyle won, too, brushing past his former “ER”-star Clooney on the way to the stage. Netflix’s “Adolescence” won four awards: best limited series, and acting awards for Erin Doherty, Stephen Graham and 16-year-old Owen Cooper.
Other winners included Rhea Seehorn for “Pluribus” and Jean Smart for “Hacks.”
But the most comically poignant award of the night went to “The Studio,” the best comedy series winner. Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satirememorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night at the Globes. (Sample line: “I remember when the red carpet of the Golden Globes actually stood for something.”) Rogen also won best male actor in a comedy.
“This is so weird,” Rogen said, chuckling. “We just pretended to do this. And now it’s happening.”
