Sustainable and high quality
With the development of Maasvlakte 2, a sustainable and high-quality industrial site will be created. Companies eligible to set up business here will have an active say in the layout of the sites. In the next 20 to 30 years, space for growth will be created for the companies involved. Access for shipping is unlimited.
 
Depth
With a depth of 20 metres, the largest container ships and chemical tankers will shortly be able to reach their berths unhindered, 24 hours a day. Furthermore, the situation on the North Sea guarantees fast turnaround times. That is a great advantage, because being at anchor is very costly for shipping companies.
 

Access 
The site will link up seamlessly with the business clusters in the existing Rotterdam port and industrial complex and with the many connections to the European hinterland: rail, inland shipping, feeder and shortsea, road transport and pipelines provide efficient transit options for cargo. By investing continually in infrastructure, Rotterdam also remains one step ahead of the congestion. A good example of this is the Betuwe Line. This is a dedicated freight railway that will connect Rotterdam directly with Germany from 2007 onwards. 
 
Importance of sustainable operations 
An explicit attempt is being made to find clients for Maasvlakte 2 who intend to operate in a sustainable manner.  In terms of the selection, therefore, not only financial returns will be taken into consideration, but also environmental aspects, such as air pollution and noise nuisance. Here, consideration will go further than just the terminal itself. In particular, the traffic movements accompanying the arrival of the container terminal will be weighed. 

Maasvlakte 2: mainport Rotterdam to grow by 20%
With the construction of Maasvlakte 2, the current port and industrial area will increase by 20%, measured in hectares. As a result, the capacity to handle containers will treble. This space is sorely needed. Container throughput alone increased in 2004 by 16%, from 7.1 million TEU (2003) to 8.2 million TEU (2004). (1 TEU = 20-foot container).
The growth in the chemical sector and in distribution also calls for extra space. If this growth remains stable or increases in the coming years, today’s terminals will be unable to cope.
 
Leading position
Maasvlakte 2 offers the port of Rotterdam the opportunity to retain and expand its leading position in Europe during the coming decades. Rotterdam will then continue to stand for first-class shipping operations, safety and excellent hinterland connections, with a very wide choice of lines and service providers.