Western Scheldt container handling inland waterway oriented. Contrary to neighbouring countries, the Netherlands features only one major container port - Rotterdam. For that reason, it is likely that market share of the Netherlands lags behind. The Western Scheldt presents the logical expansion of the number of container ports as it already has intensive container traffic to the Port of Antwerp, while it offers ample space to accommodate tidal terminals. The paper goes into some design detail whereas Terneuzen is concerned as it could very well specialise in inland waterway container transport. Sea as well as inland waterway transport is relatively cheap, but in that chain the transfer of containers is rather costly. Through a dedicated terminal the efficiency can be improved to such an extent that this drawback should be largely eliminated. The proposed terminal is finger-pier shaped, the seagoing vessels berthing on one side, the inland waterway lighters on the opposite side. Terneuzen already features a substantial inland waterway transport sector, so the terminal is the logical development towards the future status of this local industry. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting