【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】
According to a report by the Financial Times on July 8, the largest port in Europe, Rotterdam Port, is preparing for potential conflicts with Russia.
Chief Executive of the Rotterdam Port Authority, Baldwin Simmons, revealed that the port has reserved berths for military transport ships and has developed wartime cargo diversion plans. They are coordinating with the neighboring Belgian Antwerp Port to prepare for an influx of military vehicles and supplies from the US, UK, and Canada.
"Not all piers are suitable for handling military cargo," Simmons said in an interview. "If large-scale transportation of weapons is needed, we will collaborate with ports like Antwerp to divert cargo. Now, we see each other less as competitors—compete when necessary, cooperate when possible."
The report states that this statement reflects the growing trend of European military preparedness: as the Ukraine-Russia conflict enters its fourth year, the EU is planning a military rearmament plan worth up to 800 billion euros, both to respond to Trump's call for European defense autonomy and to deter Russia.
Container terminal at Rotterdam Port, Rotterdam Port Official Website
Previously, the Netherlands and NATO allies had committed to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP. In May this year, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced that, at the request of NATO, Rotterdam Port must provide space for multiple military supply ships to load and unload.
According to Simmons, such ships will dock about 4 to 5 times a year, staying for several weeks each time. The specific locations may rotate, with the container terminal being the only area where ammunition can be safely transferred. The port will also hold several amphibious military exercises annually.
As a key hub in the Rhine-Meuse delta, Rotterdam Port stretches 42 kilometers along the river, with an annual throughput of 436 million tons, handling 28,000 seagoing vessels and 91,000 inland vessels. EU sanctions against Russia have cost it about 8% of its trade volume (mainly oil). Antwerp Port, with an annual throughput of 240 million tons, is currently the second-largest port in the EU and has long been responsible for supplying the US military stationed in Europe.
Simmons stated that the two ports are working together to enhance European strategic autonomy, saying their cooperation in areas such as resilience building is becoming increasingly close.
Simmons said that the pandemic exposed Europe's reliance on medical supplies from China and India, and the energy supply disruptions caused by the Ukraine conflict have again sounded a warning for Europe. He called on the EU to follow the example of the 90-day strategic oil reserve system established after the 1973 oil crisis and to stockpile more essential goods.
"We should take the same measures for copper, lithium, graphite, and other critical raw materials," Simmons said. The EU should focus on "broader strategic resilience," not only in the oil sector but also in the natural gas, pharmaceutical, and key material sectors to build resilience and adaptability.
He also said that the port area has a well-developed distribution network, making it an ideal location for storage. Some of the Netherlands' strategic oil reserves are already stored there.
Rotterdam Port and Antwerp Port
In recent times, NATO and the EU have continuously raised the threat of Russia. Last month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Russia may be "preparing to use force against NATO within five years." He also said that if EU countries do not increase defense spending, they would have to learn Russian. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy recently said that Russia is planning new military operations on NATO territory.
Rutte also used the "China and Russia threat" as a reason at the NATO summit to urge member states to significantly increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP.
The Financial Times reported that the EU is set to announce a "strategic reserve plan" on the 8th, which will include medical supplies, critical raw materials, energy equipment, shelter supplies, and potential water and food reserves.
Regarding Rutte's statements about the so-called China and Russia threats, on July 5, Russian Federation Security Council Deputy Chairman Medvedev responded, saying that Rutte was right about one thing—that he should learn Russian, "which might come in handy in Siberian labor camps."
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiajun recently pointed out that NATO officials are stoking international and regional tensions, slandering China's normal military development, and seeking excuses for NATO to greatly increase military spending, overstep its authority, and aim to expand into the Asia-Pacific region.
Guo Jiajun said that NATO claims to be a regional organization, yet it continues to exceed the geographical scope defined by its own treaties, extending its reach into the Asia-Pacific under the pretext of Eurasian security coordination. The international community sees this clearly, and Asian countries are highly vigilant.
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