Kloosterboer and the Port of Rotterdam Authority invest in the start of a new cold storage cluster
Kloosterboer and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are investing in the start of a new cold storage cluster on the City Terminal site in the Waalhaven/Eemhaven: Rotterdam Cool Port. Kloosterboer is setting up a new cold store, specialised in the storage and handling of refrigerated and frozen cargo in reefer containers. The accompanying services, such as empty depots and food inspection, will also be set up here in the future.
Early 2016, construction work will start on the cold store and the layout of the Kloosterboer site. The company is purchasing five hectares of land with the option to expand in the future. The terminal is expected to become operational in the course of 2017, with a capacity of 40,000 temperature-controlled pallet spaces to handle an estimated 400,000 pallets a year, at least. There is an additional 14,500 m2 or thereabouts to accommodate various services such as packing, sorting and cross-docking.
The combination of location and cold storage facility makes Rotterdam Cool Port attractive. Thanks to the location, shippers will no longer need to transport cargo from the terminal to the cold store, so that import and export costs can be substantially reduced. As Rotterdam Cool Port is being developed directly adjacent to container terminals, it will be possible to make optimum use of reefer container equipment. In addition to this, Rotterdam occupies a prominent position in the cold storage sector because the port serves as the first port of call in Europe for many shipping companies. Speed is crucial for perishable goods. Consequently, a whole range of specialised firms and temperature-controlled storage facilities have established themselves in Rotterdam and the surrounding area through the years.
The Province and the Municipality have both granted a subsidy for the redevelopment of a large part of the Eemhaven. Rotterdam Cool Port is a good way of utilising part of the newly vacant land. The Province is also contributing towards the access-related infrastructure, in the interests of the Greenports. In addition, it will have a positive impact on employment in the area. It is expected that around 100 people will be working here as of 2017.
