2020
The New Silk Road
RESEARCH COURSE
KANE VAN DIJK (0948943)
SOPHIE HOFFMAN (0854825)
JELLE HOEKSTRA (0945734)
,The New Silk Road Research Course
Preface
This report is written by three fourth year students:
Jelle Hoekstra, Logistics management student
Sophie Hoffman, Martime officer student
Kane van Dijk, Logistics engineering student
This report is written as an assignment for the course RMIMPM51, the research course.
Within this course the three students have prepared a research, which will be executed in
this report. The three students from now on will be known as the research team.
The timeframe for this research is X weeks. The basis of this report was made on the 17 th of
November and the final adjustments were made on ..th of December. This report is aimed at
the Port of Rotterdam mostly the department
The research team would like to thank the following institutions and persons:
Rotterdam Mainport Institute, for offering this interesting assignment.
The Port of Rotterdam, for offering this interesting case and giving the research an
opportunity to research it.
Hogeschool Rotterdam, for providing an online communication platform during
COVID-19 times.
Maurits van Schuylenburg, for helping us finding the guidelines of this research and
providing us with information on the case.
Pim Warffemius, for supervising the research/preparations and making sure
everything goes according to the course program.
Floris de Haan, for answering questions and providing information about air freight.
Rotterdam, 5th January 2021
1
,The New Silk Road Research Course
Management Summary
The main objective of this research report, is to collect, reflect and analyse information given
about the plausible effects the opening of the new Silk Road can have on the Port of
Rotterdam. In addition to give advice what the Port of Rotterdam needs to do to face the
challenges and opportunities due to the New silk road.
The opening of the new Silk Road will mean a radical transformation from a gateway to a
destination for the Port of Rotterdam and this could go at the expense of the competitive
position of the Port of Rotterdam. This report analyses and evaluates what will happen with
the competitive position of the Port of Rotterdam, when the New Silk Road will be
completely operational. Eventually and answer is given on the main question of this
research:
‘What are the effects and obstacles for the Port of Rotterdam and/or China when the new
silk road starts operating well and how can the Port of Rotterdam benefit from this
development? ‘
The answer given on this question is based on literature research, interview questions,
surveys and information obtained by attending guest lectures.
The following can be concluded from the research study:
The Port of Rotterdam has sufficient Hinterland transport network both Short sea
and train.
The modal shift which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with the new Silk
Road by utilised more than before did not have that large of an impact on the Port of
Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is the transhipment zone of Europe but other entries to Europe are
occurring like the port of Piraeus, which is owned by China, the impact of this Port is
however low due not sufficient hinterland network of the Port of Piraeus.
The difference in speed, capacity and costs of rail and maritime transport is big.
4C would be a good option for one of the mainport of the Netherlands, Port of
Rotterdam would be the best option.
Based on the research report the Port of Rotterdam is recommended to keep improving
their hinterland rail network and to fulfil the role of Cross Chain Control Centre.
2
, The New Silk Road Research Course
Contents
Preface........................................................................................................................................1
Management Summary..............................................................................................................2
Abbreviations..............................................................................................................................5
1.1 Problem description..........................................................................................................6
1.2 Problem definition............................................................................................................6
1.3 Sustainable goals...............................................................................................................6
1.4 Main goal...........................................................................................................................6
1.5 Main question...................................................................................................................7
1.6 Sub question......................................................................................................................7
1.7 Relevancy of the study......................................................................................................7
2. Literature review and Conceptual model...............................................................................8
2.1 Literature review...............................................................................................................8
2.2 Conceptual model.............................................................................................................9
2.3 Theoretical framework......................................................................................................9
3. Method used for data collection and collected data............................................................11
3.1 Interviews........................................................................................................................11
3.2 Other reports..................................................................................................................11
3.3 Guest lecture...................................................................................................................11
4. Analyses and Results.............................................................................................................12
4.1 Current hinterland transport network and capacity......................................................12
4.1.1 Train hinterland transport network.........................................................................12
4.1.2 Short Sea network....................................................................................................12
4.2 Shift of the flow of goods................................................................................................12
4.3 Entries of Europe.............................................................................................................13
4.4 Pros and cons of modalities............................................................................................14
4.7 SWOT analysis.................................................................................................................15
5. Discussion..............................................................................................................................16
6. Conclusion and recommendations.......................................................................................18
6.1 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................18
6.2 Recommendations..........................................................................................................18
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................19
6. Appendix...............................................................................................................................20
3
The New Silk Road
RESEARCH COURSE
KANE VAN DIJK (0948943)
SOPHIE HOFFMAN (0854825)
JELLE HOEKSTRA (0945734)
,The New Silk Road Research Course
Preface
This report is written by three fourth year students:
Jelle Hoekstra, Logistics management student
Sophie Hoffman, Martime officer student
Kane van Dijk, Logistics engineering student
This report is written as an assignment for the course RMIMPM51, the research course.
Within this course the three students have prepared a research, which will be executed in
this report. The three students from now on will be known as the research team.
The timeframe for this research is X weeks. The basis of this report was made on the 17 th of
November and the final adjustments were made on ..th of December. This report is aimed at
the Port of Rotterdam mostly the department
The research team would like to thank the following institutions and persons:
Rotterdam Mainport Institute, for offering this interesting assignment.
The Port of Rotterdam, for offering this interesting case and giving the research an
opportunity to research it.
Hogeschool Rotterdam, for providing an online communication platform during
COVID-19 times.
Maurits van Schuylenburg, for helping us finding the guidelines of this research and
providing us with information on the case.
Pim Warffemius, for supervising the research/preparations and making sure
everything goes according to the course program.
Floris de Haan, for answering questions and providing information about air freight.
Rotterdam, 5th January 2021
1
,The New Silk Road Research Course
Management Summary
The main objective of this research report, is to collect, reflect and analyse information given
about the plausible effects the opening of the new Silk Road can have on the Port of
Rotterdam. In addition to give advice what the Port of Rotterdam needs to do to face the
challenges and opportunities due to the New silk road.
The opening of the new Silk Road will mean a radical transformation from a gateway to a
destination for the Port of Rotterdam and this could go at the expense of the competitive
position of the Port of Rotterdam. This report analyses and evaluates what will happen with
the competitive position of the Port of Rotterdam, when the New Silk Road will be
completely operational. Eventually and answer is given on the main question of this
research:
‘What are the effects and obstacles for the Port of Rotterdam and/or China when the new
silk road starts operating well and how can the Port of Rotterdam benefit from this
development? ‘
The answer given on this question is based on literature research, interview questions,
surveys and information obtained by attending guest lectures.
The following can be concluded from the research study:
The Port of Rotterdam has sufficient Hinterland transport network both Short sea
and train.
The modal shift which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with the new Silk
Road by utilised more than before did not have that large of an impact on the Port of
Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is the transhipment zone of Europe but other entries to Europe are
occurring like the port of Piraeus, which is owned by China, the impact of this Port is
however low due not sufficient hinterland network of the Port of Piraeus.
The difference in speed, capacity and costs of rail and maritime transport is big.
4C would be a good option for one of the mainport of the Netherlands, Port of
Rotterdam would be the best option.
Based on the research report the Port of Rotterdam is recommended to keep improving
their hinterland rail network and to fulfil the role of Cross Chain Control Centre.
2
, The New Silk Road Research Course
Contents
Preface........................................................................................................................................1
Management Summary..............................................................................................................2
Abbreviations..............................................................................................................................5
1.1 Problem description..........................................................................................................6
1.2 Problem definition............................................................................................................6
1.3 Sustainable goals...............................................................................................................6
1.4 Main goal...........................................................................................................................6
1.5 Main question...................................................................................................................7
1.6 Sub question......................................................................................................................7
1.7 Relevancy of the study......................................................................................................7
2. Literature review and Conceptual model...............................................................................8
2.1 Literature review...............................................................................................................8
2.2 Conceptual model.............................................................................................................9
2.3 Theoretical framework......................................................................................................9
3. Method used for data collection and collected data............................................................11
3.1 Interviews........................................................................................................................11
3.2 Other reports..................................................................................................................11
3.3 Guest lecture...................................................................................................................11
4. Analyses and Results.............................................................................................................12
4.1 Current hinterland transport network and capacity......................................................12
4.1.1 Train hinterland transport network.........................................................................12
4.1.2 Short Sea network....................................................................................................12
4.2 Shift of the flow of goods................................................................................................12
4.3 Entries of Europe.............................................................................................................13
4.4 Pros and cons of modalities............................................................................................14
4.7 SWOT analysis.................................................................................................................15
5. Discussion..............................................................................................................................16
6. Conclusion and recommendations.......................................................................................18
6.1 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................18
6.2 Recommendations..........................................................................................................18
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................19
6. Appendix...............................................................................................................................20
3
