Juliana Canal — © Chemelot.nl
Minister Harbers’ announcement to close a four-kilometer section of the Juliana Canal to shipping for six to eight months has led to bewildered reactions from companies at Chemelot, the Limburg Employers’ Association (LWV) and Wessem Port Services. This measure would mean that shipping traffic between North and South Limburg would be forced to detour via Antwerp for two extra days, resulting in possible turnover losses of tens of millions of euros per day. All this while safe alternatives would be available.
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“A bolt from the blue,” responds Chemelot director Loek Radix, “the final report with the impact analysis will be ready one of these days and we would have a conversation with the minister about our concern that the canal cannot be closed for months and does not need to be closed. This intention poses enormous risks and is extremely annoying. The companies can do without Port of Chemelot for a maximum of three or four days.”
Rijkswaterstaat has decided to restore the navigation channel with a cheaper method that requires closing the canal. Surprisingly, companies with significant expertise in this area have been rejected, even though they have successfully demonstrated in German projects that waterways can safely remain semi-open. The business community is now bearing the consequences of this decision by Rijkswaterstaat.
The Limburg Employers Association (LWV), together with TLN, ELC, Supply Chain Valley, Chemelot and inland shipping, have repeatedly urged Rijkswaterstaat to take action. “We have no choice but to suspect that Rijkswaterstaat’s decision is now being disguised with sophisticated reasoning, to the detriment of the business community and the Limburg region,” said LWV director Huub Narinx.
According to preliminary estimates from the Ecorys agency, the damage to businesses due to the temporary closure could amount to 40 to 100 million euros. “Remarkably, the final report is not expected until next week. The minister is now taking a drastic decision without waiting for this report, which is a neglect of the stakeholders in this file,” Narinx adds.
Why is Port Chemelot so important?
Port Chemelot is crucial because of its role in making the Chemelot site and the associated logistics more sustainable. With weatherproof loading stations, shore power, and sustainable transport connections, it plays an essential role in replacing fossil raw materials with circular raw materials, including recycled plastic and biomass. By moving freight transport from road to water, it contributes to cleaner, safer and quieter living environments. The recent investments and subsidies awarded by the European Union underline the importance of Port Chemelot as a hub in the changing European freight transport, with noticeable positive effects for the region.
