Port of Rotterdam
로테르담 항
Europe's largest seaport, with its newest terminals on the Maasvlakte, land reclaimed from the North Sea; it handles more than 400 million tonnes of cargo a year. Maasvlakte 2 opened in 2013 and sits beside container, bulk and tanker berths and rows of wind turbines.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Netherlands
- Type
- Infrastructure
Quick answers
Where is Port of Rotterdam?
Port of Rotterdam is in Netherlands.
The Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the largest seaport in Europe. It stretches about 40 kilometres along the Nieuwe Maas and out to the North Sea, and covers around 105 square kilometres.
From 1962 until 2004, Rotterdam was the busiest port in the world, measured by the weight of cargo. Since then, ports in Singapore and China have overtaken it, but it is still the largest port outside Asia. Containers, oil, coal and cars arrive here and travel on to more than 500 million consumers across Europe by ship, train, road and river. Wind turbines now line parts of its coast.
How the port grew
In the 1800s the port moved west, toward the sea. To give big ships a direct route, engineers dug the Nieuwe Waterweg, or 'New Waterway', designed by Pieter Caland and finished in 1872. Later came Europoort, built at the river mouth, and in the 1970s the Maasvlakte, land built out into the North Sea. The card for this globe also mentions Maasvlakte 2, which opened in 2013 and adds more container terminals.
What it is like today
Rotterdam has five port areas and three distribution parks. Huge cranes lift containers on and off ships, and tankers unload oil. The port sits in the delta where the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt rivers meet, which is a great place to reach inland Europe. In recent years many wind turbines have been added along the coast, and they change the skyline of the industrial area.
Fun facts
- Rotterdam was the world's busiest port by cargo weight from 1962 to 2004.
- Part of the port, the Maasvlakte, stands on land built out in the North Sea.
- The Nieuwe Waterweg canal was ready in 1872.
On the globe
The model shows a large harbour on the Maasvlakte with container terminals and wind turbines. Look for the rows of cranes and ships.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14