News / Royal salute as the hi-tech Maasvlakte II opens to give port of Rotterdam a boost

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Barge operators at Rotterdam have suffered a challenging first quarter this year, with container terminal congestion ruining schedules week after week, but APM Terminals’ new futuristic Maasvlakte II facility is designed to significantly improve inland supply chain productivity with a dedicated barge quay.

A spectacular ‘box ballet’ demonstration of the new terminal’s automation brought a standing ovation from more than 500 global shipping executives as King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands officially opened the €500m facility on Friday.

Branded “the world’s most technologically advanced ...