Beautiful Surrounds and Enjoy Endless Recreation
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Do business, live in beautiful surrounds and enjoy endless recreation Nowhere else in the Netherlands is the contrast quite as stark as on the South Holland island of Voorne-Putten. Beautiful, historical villages and fortified towns stand out against the ‘wonder’ of the Botlek area and the ports of Rotterdam with their countless shipping companies and mega oil tankers on the Nieuwe Waterweg. Spijkenisse, Carlton Oasis’ home harbour, is the beating heart of one of the most beautiful and successful business areas in our country. Contributing editor: Mariëtte van de Rest Images: Bastiaan van Musscher a.o. Voorne-Putten: an island of contrasts 80 81 he A15 (the motorway that runs from Nijmegen to the Maasvlakte... or vice versa) is the access road to Voorne-Putten, and to Spijkenisse. TAfter Rotterdam – where you still have a view over the impressive skyline – you would be forgiven for imagining that you’re in an almost futuristic environment surrounded by harbour companies and industry, oil storage depots, windmills and water. Undeniably the Port of Rotterdam – also known as Botlek and Rijnmond – in all its glory! The view across to this area in the evenings, once all the lights come one, is even more impressive. There’s something tough and inaccessible about it. And it’s bustling with activity. Once you cross the bridge at the Spijkenisse turnoff, you get to the most northerly of the South Holland islands. Spijkenisse is an ‘ordinary’ modern Dutch city, a stone’s throw from Rotterdam, which makes it all the more remarkable that 50 metres beyond the Carlton Oasis you’ll find yourself in a wonderful nature area. Or turn right and head towards Den BOTLEK: Briel (Brielle) and pass the villages of Geervliet, Heenvliet and Zwartewaal THE SECOND to the right. Just amazing: so much history, and such priceless, beautiful A ‘REMARKABLE and picturesque villages. While it may look strange because oil storage MAASVLAKTE: tanks and windmills line every horizon, the island inhabitants are happy SALTMARSH’ to accept this. Their island covers an area in the province of South Holland RECLAIMED between Haringvliet, the Spui, the Oude Maas and Lake Den Briel, just See and be seen The Botlek is the name of Rotterdam’s harbour south of Rijnmond’s harbour and industrial area. It consists of what used to and industrial area, situated to the west of the FROM THE SEA be the islands of Voorne and Putten. Due the silting of the Bernisse (brackish in the Carlton Oasis Oude Maas, between the Scheur River and the water that used to separate the two islands), the two islands joined and A15 motorway. The north-western section of Part of the success of businesses on Voorne- were then linked to the rest of the province by bridges, tunnels and dams. the area is on the former island of Rozenburg; Putten is thanks to the construction of Because of the strong economic ties with Rotterdam and the Rotterdam port the south-eastern section is situated where the Maasvlakte 2. Maasvlakte 2 (also known as area, Voorne-Putten falls under the Rotterdam Urban Region. Welplaat used to be. Second Maasvlakte) is the name given to the This is the island of contrasts, where no less than 40 per cent of the working The area is named after the Botlek, part of the project to extend the Port of Rotterdam to the The main towns on Voorne-Putten are Spijkenisse, the old fort town population drives across to the Rotterdam harbours every day. An island Nieuwe Maas. According to the Dictionary of the west of the Maasvlakte. These 2,000 hectares of Brielle, the former marine harbour of Hellevoetsluis and the seaside which – as opposed to the rest of the Netherlands – only 2 per cent of the Dutch Language, the name ‘Botlek’ refers to a amount to a twenty per cent extension to the resort towns of Rockanje and Oostvoorne. Brielle is the unofficial capital population is unemployed, where no fewer than 15,000 companies are ‘gap’ in the tidal inlet of the Maas River where a port. The various ports now cover an area of of the island, although Spijkenisse is definitely the main municipality in registered with the Chamber of Commerce and a total population (including lot of flounder (bot in Dutch) used to be caught; 12,000 hectares. On 1 September 2008 the terms of facilities. children) of 170,000 people. in Van der Aa’s geographical dictionary, ‘the construction commenced after years of planning, Botlek’ is referred to as a ‘remarkable saltmarsh’ discussions and protests. The expectation is Networking at micro-level on the west side of the former island of Welplaat. that the extension will be completed this year. Clearly the economy on Voorne-Putten works differently to the rest of the Between 1850 and 1875, this area, which used to The infrastructure has been laid and a goods Netherlands. One could call it an economy on micro-level. One thing is be part of the Nieuwe Maas, underwent a name railway already runs to Maasvlakte 2. for sure: the island is an autonomous area with low unemployment. Why change that refers to this saltmarsh. The old Maasvlakte 2 consists of new reclaimed land and this should be remains a mystery. Almost half of the working population watercourse has become part of the Botlek area’s lies directly adjacent to the existing Maasvlakte. have jobs in the harbours of Rijnmond and Botlek, and many companies, central channel and is still referred to as Botlek. One thousand hectares have been set aside as suppliers of services and products, are also dependent on the harbours. In the Botlek area, you’ll mainly find the for port-related industry. The remaining area George de la Croix (chairman of the OFS, the Spijkenisse Businessmen’s companies in petrochemical industry and oil is needed for infrastructure (290 hectares), sea Federation), Mark de Vos (chairman of the Botlek Business Club) and storage sector as well as dry bulk commodity defences (230 hectares) and shipping lanes Cees Vingerling (bank manager) know all about this. These gentlemen storage companies. The first company to set and harbours (510 hectares). Havenbedrijf are all genuine islanders and act as ambassadors for this exceptional up there was Dow Chemicals in 1956, followed Rotterdam NV commissioned the construction of area. In addition to this, they all have a special connection with Carlton by the shipyard, Cornelis Verolme, in 1957. By Maasvlakte 2. It is not a stand-alone project. The Oasis, not in the least because that is where they do business and hold 1960, all available ground had been allocated. port extension is part of the Project Main Port meetings. De la Croix: ‘The Oasis is like our sitting room! Our club LBC took over the Dow plant a few years ago, Development Rotterdam (PMR). The project’s consists of a good cross section of Spijkenisse companies and, as the and what used to be the Verolme shipyard is objective is to reinforce Rotterdam as the main ones responsible for looking out for the interests of our members, we mainly used as a repair wharf, particularly by port and to further improve the living conditions have a good relationship with the municipality. We are also good friends the offshore industry. in the region in harmony with this. The PMR with the other clubs. Our members want and can network, and all these project also includes the setting up of a nature and meetings put more business their way.’ recreational area, as well as a number of projects together entitled ‘Existing Rotterdam Area’. The One of OFS’s fellow clubs is the Botlek Business Club, which also likes new port area has been built in phases. to use the Oasis given that 80 per cent of its members are from Voorne- Maasvlakte 2 has a depth of 20 metres which Putten and the Botlek area. ‘Our clubs have a bridging function in means that it is accessible to new generation Voorne-Putten’s business life,’ says De Vos. ‘This is where the economy’s large container ships. engine is situated. This is where it all happens!’ 82 83 A unique and rugged piece of the Netherlands! FUTURELAND As a consequence, this is where a great deal of networking takes place. ‘These days, networking is paramount, all across the Netherlands of Voorne-Putten is just as beautiful as it course, but especially on Voorne-Putten. We’re just that little bit more is interesting and has high recreational dependent on each other here. It’s a matter of give and sharing,’ Cees value to boot. Voorne-Putten not only has Vingerling adds. ‘What goes on in our hotel is a prime example of beaches, history, forts, cycle paths and networking,’ General Manager Frederik Reimers agrees. ‘Oasis plays ruins: these days it also has Futureland that an important role locally. We speak the same language here on Voorne- is situated on the Second Maasvlakte, the Putten. No nonsense; telling it like it is. Say what you’re doing and stick latest tourist attraction. Futureland is the to your promises. A Rotterdam mentality!’ Second Maasvlakte’s information centre. It has a cinema, interactive model and various The harbour area a stone’s throw from Rotterdam (second largest information halls. The Port of Rotterdam’s harbour in the world) is flourishing and has recently been extended centre was opened in 2009 and had 100,000 by the Maasvlakte 2. That this is working wonders for the economy on visitors in the first year. The Futureland Voorne-Putten is very clear. Express has been doing tours across the new land since the summer of 2010.