As to shipping, the Dutch seaport of Rotterdam is the place to be. At Rotterdam-Europoort: The Maasvlakte and the docks along the adjacent Caland canal. It is there that the world's largest ships can be found.
The super tankers, ore carriers and container carriers are the largest means of transport man has ever devised. We talk about ships with a length of 300 meter or more a beam of 55 to 60 meter, a draft of 20 meters or more and a height above the waterline of some 30 meter. But the industriousness of the numerous smaller vessels is also to be found here.
Situated at the estuaries of the rivers Rhine and Maas, Rotterdam is the seaport in Europe at which by far the largest amounts of the world's soil treasures are transhipped. These raw materials are brought to Rotterdam by the largest ships-the super tankers and ore and coal carriers and together with the agribulk carriers, these are the ships this book is especially dealing with. It shows how impressive they are and how interesting in the company of escorting tugboats, or when berthed beneath the huge cranes.
With this Volume I of Rotterdam-Europoort, photographer and author Geert Mast gives an excellent summary of this World Port, an industriousness that never stops. And that everything to it is dynamic and imposing.