A subsidiary of Dubai World, DP World, is one of the companies behind the consortium Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) that will be operating the first container terminal on Maasvlakte 2. However, insofar as this can be determined, the financial problems that Dubai World made the news with last week will not have any impact on the Maasvlakte 2 development.

In 2009 several national and international artists undertook an artistic journey of discovery into the past, present and future of the Port of Rotterdam under the umbrella title of Portscapes, drawing inspiration from the port. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is showing ten art projects that resulted from it in a high-profile exhibition.

The construction of Maasvlakte 2 is proceeding according to plan. Over a quarter of the necessary sand was applied during the last year by contractors' consortium PUMA. The trailing suction hopper dredgers have started to create two islands in the North Sea. One of these is already over 4 km long and has been ‘secured' to the old coastline.

On 11 November contractors Visser & Smit Hanab have drawn a 36 inch gas pipe with a length of over 1200 metres through a borehole under the Yangtzehaven.

Artist Marcel van Eeden (b. 1965) has started work on a new 'graphic novel'. Until the end of 2009, he will publish a new drawing on his website every day.

This week, the first bulldozers are driving around on an island in the North Sea, which will grow to become Maasvlakte 2. In the past few weeks, so much sand has been sprayed on that various islands have been created, which also remain sufficiently above water during high tide.

The ‘Faunabescherming' (society for the protection of wildlife) has withdrawn its objection to the construction permit for Maasvlakte 2 and the Port of Rotterdam Authority is to take a number of measures to benefit seabirds in the Voordelta area.

Three ports on Maasvlakte 2 are to be named after the Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane. Queen Beatrix announced this during a visit to the Maasvlakte 2 project.

On 14 June, the ‘first showing' will be held of the film ‘6 Hours Tide Object with Correction of Perspective'. This will take place in FutureLand, the information centre on Maasvlakte 2, the expansion project of the port of Rotterdam.

On 28 April, Her Majesty the Queen will reveal the names of the future ports on the Second Maasvlakte.

Today Milieudefensie and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are presenting the 'Agreement on a Sustainable Maasvlakte'.

Jan Dibbets makes new version of his 40-year-old art film on the Maasvlakte beach during Art Rotterdam
Launch of Portscapes art program.