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Sterker door Strijd ala Port Rotterdam, Can We? April 15, 2010

Posted by radiopoetra in To Dutch We Sail AHOY!.
Tags: kompetiblog, studi di belanda
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*famous quote from my college days at IT*

“cik, ndowo nginggris, nggarai nangis”

means:

“cik, uda panjang pake bahasa inggris pula, bikin males baca”

*buktikan klo saya salah, hix3*

I’m an 80’s born kid, raised in the 90’s culture, thus television and comic were my best tutor, haha, believe it or not? And to be honest sometimes I miss those good old times, whose not actually? One of those comic  which I still had in mind is the Agent 327, an impeccable agent, which mission and gadget recurrently leads to various disastrous mission. His real name is Ijerboot.

327 was Dutch Agent, he claims to fight in the name of “Righteousness and World Peace”. The setting of the comic was early cold war, which on sever occasion still bring the issue of The Third Reich, Eastern Hegemonies (imminent threat from the Japannese, and Chinese mysterious Reign). Cant blame the writer’s point of view, since as in opinion, for my gramps the Dutch were to blame for everything happens in Indonesia, but by this comic, I learn to see thing different. As  I was raised in a petrochemical complex which formerly designed by Dutch Engginer, I guest it is right to learn from everybody then?

There are many 327 adventure, varies from an adventure on Bermuda, challenging a post Nazi Cult, Van Gogh, Da Vinci hidden code, etc. haha and people said comic book won’t teach us anything. If it ain’t because of 327 I would never known Van Gogh in the first place. Well that was soo yesterday.

One of places which 327 visited was Rotterdam, a port City of the Netherland, and also Amsterdam, his HQ located,

then a silly question came from a 12 years old kid (me), does every city in Netherland had “DAM” inserted to each city name it has? Since on the Geographic class the Netherland was famous for their below than waterline cities, which created by reclamation and creation of DAM itself. Later on I feel really stupid, as a found, for twelve major city there were only two cities which uses DAM as part of their names, haha silly me. Anyhow it is when the episodes of the Misteries of Bermuda Triangle, 327 set sail from Port Rotterdam, Port Rotterdam was depicted as a world class, heavy, busy, multicultured port. And it made me wonder, how did someone manage and maintain service for 24/7 something as huge as that? As The Port itself was huge, as if it was a city itself, whereas the port was only part of Rotterdam City itself.

Port Rotterdam itself, was gaining it’s rule as a major port since 1620’s, as she supporting the activities of VOC to the east. From time to time, the port undergone many improvement such as expanded waterways. The dutch were more than determined to creating a port that will be, or should we say MUST be the gravity centre of world shipping lines.

Sterker door strijd it would said, stronger through struggle, having their specialties on water structure, The Dutch reform the landscape of Rotterdam from time to time, as depicted bellow:

the picture on the left was Rotterdam at it’s early days, where it was a mere fishing village, with constant threat from north sea storm tides, The Dutch start protecting and expanding Rotterdam landscape (as the name Rotterdam itself was derived from the word rotta means muddy water, as several part of Rotterdam was a river delta soil). Some times beetwen in 1150’s a large flood caused by the north sea’s storm tide proved disastrous, it lead to the construction of Schielands Hoge Zeedijk (Schieland’s High Sea Dike) a large fortification of dikes along northern Niue Maas. Thus it’s always lead to the ingenuity of dikes, and dam building, and The Dutch city planning when we care enough to see how Rotterdam was established, later on we’ll talk about latest dam construction built by The Dutch.

Steping early 16^th century, several years after declaring it’s independence The Dutch was on it’s step to became the first thoroughly capitalist country, Rotterdam gradually grew into a prosperous city port, as the first harbor was constructed beetwen 1600 to 1620’s. Soon warehouses, breweries, sugar refineries, gin distilleries, shipyards and ropeyards flourished along the city port. In which require a rather complex city planning to accommodate the vast growing city port. Following the grew, it became one of the VOC, port of operation. from 16^th to 17^th centuries when it gaining it’s golden era’s.

Following the Napoleonic wars on 17^th century, trade and industries are heavily influenced, causing the cities collapses from it’s former glories. As a solution to gain it’s former glories, a project was sent to floor, a creation of a new waterways in order to bypass the ridge of dunes, hence creating an artificial estuary to Rhine River. Floored on 1858’s the project completed at 9 march 1872, marked with maiden sail along it’s waterways by Richard Young.

To be good to be called a coincidence, by time the project was finished, a large demand of iron ore as a fuel and basis of industrial revolution was rise beyond prediction, and the new waterways plays a major role as transit point. At those mean time, a large bulk of iron container have to pass Rotterdam in order to save time before reach reach Ruhr, vice versa with tradeable goods from german.

Realizing it’s increase in activities, The Rotterdam Municipal Port Management was set up in 1932. It was essential to tackle the development of the port more purposefully and systematically. This was largely dictated by the failure of negotiations concerning the establishment of the American Ford automobile factory and the construction of storage sites for fertilizer from the French potash mines. The Rotterdam Municipal Port Management consisted of the Port Authority and Pilotage Service headed by the Harbour Master, an economic department led by an administrator and a department immediately under the director in which the Municipal Commercial Sections, the lease of sites and quays and the development of the port expansion plan together with maintenance of the requisite technical documentation were placed. Thus Rotterdam become a vital transit port for the German, gaining it’s former glory, up until World War II. Unfortunately, realizing it’s vital and prosperous postion, 10^th may 1940 Hitler commanded the invasion of Netherland. And on 14^th may 1940, Rotterdam was pulverized by luftwave aerial bombing, leaving the City Hall as only survivor of the bombing.

Five years after WWII, Port Rotterdam are coming back to it’s regular activities, having all it’s infrastructure reconstructed, nonetheless, new problems occurred. Wartime resulting an advance in shipping technologies, bigger engine, means Ships grew even bigger, also several political clashes occur in middle east caused ship to activate it’s old route in order to reach east, via cape of hope – south Africa. Ever since the post WWII, the cold war started, and many corporate sees a place to establish an new business base of operation, seeing booth as a challenge and opportunity, Port Rotterdam gave answer with Europort and Maasvlakte, building a business property areas and expanding the port.

Port Rotterdam ambitious mission clearly creates more problems, with each volume of freight it’s received it has to have a good documentation system, securities, storage, monitoring, etc. while in the mean time another storm tide hit The Dutch hard once again on 1953’s took tolls of 2533 lives. The same time Port Rotterdam starting the Europort project, the higher officials proposing the Delta Werken.

Seeing The Dutch and the north sea, was like seing a lovers quarry. The Dutch benefit from the north sea, since the beginning of age the north sea always granted them with her love, fisheries, oil, mineral, even land. But on the other time she’d rather throwing tantrum, thaw her wrath, which rather cruel. And for centuries The Dutch became water structure specialist, as I always mention several times ahead. After the Great Flood of 1953’s Delta Werken were soon to be executed fearing an imminent threat to both peoples live and economic, since Port Rotterdam were already signing contract with many major petrochemical and oil company to become their of operation complex and deep sea operation.

On short definition, The Delta Project were a set of construction with four principle:

1. blocking of Oosterschelde, the Haringvliet and the Grevelingen.
2. increasing the height and strength of every dikes along waterway
3. Nieuwe Waterweg and Westerschelde were to remain open, as it was a vital shipping route
4. the work would be combined with road and railway in order to strengthen economy of realated province (Zeeland, Rotterdam, Antwerp)

It took almost five decades to complete, and still undergone strict monitoring, a scheduled evaluation, and improvement of several weak points which will finished beetwen 2015 to 2017.

The project was also predicted to cause various environmental impact, from this points it became a tricky parts. First of all, the damming clearly would change the saltwater ecosystem, hence would risk the local fisheries and marine life ecosystem. As the project was about the executed, many local fisherman and environmentalist were protesting, reminding the government of possible outcome to the natural ecosystem. Then the engginer came up with a solution that quite simple, yet clever, instead building a permanent barrier, they build a Watergate in Maesvlak (later known as Maesvlak barrier), which will be closed when the sea level was rise three meter above mean sea level.

The First ingenius part of those water gates were it the design of the gate itself, the dual arc form of the gate were optimal enough to withstand harsh north sea current. Second, the gate joint, unlike usually shaped gate joint, the Maeslant Barrier joint, were ball and socket shaped, such as the joint on human shoulder or hips, hence giving the gate arm more elasticity, gave the structure more power. Such creative design came from centuries of experience, and also the balance of engginering breakthrough without forgetting human are also part of the nature. Done dealing with nature? We suppose so, but nature didn’t bring us the business aspect. When it come to port, it is where the freight are coming, and they soon come with a whole new level of tonnage, new solutions are required in order to lead Port Rotterdam to the top rank of world class port.

In the mean time, how does the port expansion and complex goes so far? With the Delta Werken goes on, the Europort project was also commenced, the building of petrochemical compounds and oil complex was undergone smoothly. Many investor which already interested has began to fill the complex, and the expansion of service area the Maesvlak has commenced. Differ from most region that gained from draining the sea, by poldering, Maesvlak was created by process called reclamation, similar to the Dubai marina complex, and the expansion of Kai Tak airport of Hongkong.

Soon the port began to operate exstensively, it will response to common problems that occur every other port would face, it’s operation, but it will on so different levels. Port Rotterdam as mentioned before was managed by RMPM, Rotterdam Municipal Port Management, would handle a large bulk freight volume. Depicted as picture below, was it’s short shipping service only.

Securities, Port Service, Service Timing, loading/unloading lag time, ships waiting time, just trying to imagine the complexity of every decision made for everything runs in the port was already gave me chills and excitement. Imagine how much research and study could be produce just be examine closely at the port daily operation, and yes the higher authority were gave a special attention to this opportunity. To support further improvement and supporting further development, three Hogeschoolen were established along with the famous Erasmus University of Rotterdam (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam).

With the term service become it’s main business, it means every seconds is counted in Port Rotterdam. In order to gave it’s customer maximum satisfaction there has to be a need for real time management, and soon the port adapt the GIS (Geographical Information System) as it’s monitoring tools. With it’s main objective as mentioned before, to gave a fast, safe, cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly management system.

The System were developed to response in real time, providing also guiding route for each ship, as every little accident may occour and may cause a horrible domino effect, as the port itself was passed by hundred of ships daily, 24/7. The System also able to classify ships, cargo’s priority, thus enabling faster service, and faster service means happy customers.

As the shipping route and safety were become a major concern, so does the storing of those bulky freight load, as more ships come, means more storage needed, as if there must be infinite warehouse able to store it all. The Port answer it with Supply Chain solution, as the trends of storage nowadays were sliding to Just In Time trend. While the same time the port provide a real 24/7 service, an automatic storage, loading/unloading system, The Port  soon began to activate in automated loading vehicles. As a 24/7 service becomes a must then al port and docks must be able to provide service in all kind of condition, all kind of weather, and that is where the All Weather Terminal comes in, an indoor terminal. With an indoor terminal service would be provided regarding any given weather condition, as a part of Port Rotterdam Multi Modal Logistic Centre plan.

So the storage management problemo solved, still there’s always another jobs to be done, the security management, hehe. As is in every port in the world there will always contrabands, smuggling, dangerous cargo, and all possible criminal condition put together whatsoever dangling in and out the port. How does The Port answer this time?

Port Rotterdam meet the challenge by releasing her Supply Chain Security proposal. In the mean time there were standard of securities of ship and port, called ISPS. As it’s was a generic rule, they implementation were pretty much general, and only cover an area that was considered as inadequate  for a port as class as Port Rotterdam, as depicted below, ISPS only cover a small part of the port.

As in port analysis with SCS it has to be depicted below

Hence Port Rotterdam official’s breakdown the port’s Supply Chain Management onto three supporting parts. Which is:

1. The secure actor (through certification AEO + ISO 28000)
   In whose is the port and client will actively participated in.
2. Secure box/package (RFID certified ISO18185, GPS, GSM, and port’s supporting system)
   The container to be stored with an RFID identification, easily traceable by using GPS and GSM, also integrated with the previous automated port system.
3. Secure gate (real time tracking n trace, anti theft, government lead intervention, throughout inspection, Nuke Detection)

As the port was acted as a gate for trade, it is required that the Netherland guarantee the safety and willing to intervene in procure it’s securities.

And still undergone inovation is the automated container inspection lane where the sevice will be: Fully Automatic, Nonstop run at 13km/h, X-Ray Scanners, Radiation Detection, OCR cameras, RFID readings. All in order to provide maximum security and assurance for the client, after all and good security is a good business.

Port Rotterdam and it’s feature, truly is amazing, undergone various improvement, keep up to the challenge it’s face. A true iconic landmark worthy of the Rotterdam motto itself,  Sterker door strijd is, mean Stronger through Struggle. Through history it was struggle, several time pulverized by the ages of man clashing each other, grew and evolve

As the Rotterdam itself representing it’s motto were keep evolving, from a fisherman village, a famous European port, a world class service port city, and a iconic centre of culture, and technology. Nowadays Rotterdam also attracting tourist as if it were going to evolve again into a city of recreation.

Port Rotterdam, Sterker door Strijd is no mere motto, improvement, innovation keeps u march toward the future.

Wonder when Indonesia got one of those? Grew it’s port city to be world class?

While i said, “it is right to learn from anybody” the truth is, for so much time we’ve already study from them. Our nation idea of equality, freedom of speech, and law were heavily influenced by Dutch teaching. As our firts vice President, Mr. Hatta were an alumni of Erasmus Universities itself. So how come we can’t own a port in the same class with Port Rotterdam?

stepping back to my elementary schooling time, our nation position were considered as a trade bargaining power. The so called “Posisi Silang”, indonesia was placed beetwen two continent, an two ocean, hence it’s made us a clear transit point for any given trade route beetwen, but why can’t we? Is it because of lack of technology advance? I don’t think so, we got universities and Technology Institute worthy enough of world acknowledge. Is it because the lack of human resource? not really i guest, as we seen everyday on TV our politic and economic expert cleverly blabbering argument and fighting each other (if they were so stupid, they wont able to say any argument at all i think, IMHO)?

so rationally we can..

Sterker door Strijd ala Port Rotterdam? well since we’ve through worse, hell we can