Rotterdam Port
Two of the major ports that proved to be the important contenders of the Rotterdam port were the Delft and Dordrecht ports. However, both the ports could not flourish any further. Dordrecht suffered heavy damages after the St. Elisabeth flood of 1421. Delft on the other hand could not expand on its harbor area. This is when the history of Rotterdam as a trading port took shape. With a suitable location and appropriate deep water port facilities, Rotterdam became the trading center of Netherlands. Goods carriers started using the port as a refueling base.
The journey of Rotterdam towards being one of the most important ports in Netherlands was not without any obstacles. In the year 1488, Frans van Breederoode and his followers rampaged the city and went on a looting spree destroying a large part of the city. This, however did not effect the trade anyway as the city was fortified. Even the war with Spain in the year 1570 could not effect trade and commerce in Rotterdam because of the fortification. While the ports of Amsterdam and Antwerp could not function because of the war, Rotterdam managed to fortify its port from the onslaught of Spanish attacks.
The big boom in trade and business in the 19th century with the onset of Industrial Revolution proved to be a turning point in the history of Rotterdam. Technological advancements in the city played a key role in the development of the port. Steam powered cranes and machines replaced the manual loading and unloading of shipments. Railway lines were laid and bridges were built for a better connectivity within the city. It was during this period that the 'New Waterways' was constructed that enabled easy connectivity to the North Sea.
Rotterdam after World War II
The World War II witnessed the city turning into rubbles after German bombing in the year 1940. Millions of people were dead and properties worth billions destroyed. To put an end to further destruction, the Dutch government surrendered itself to the Germans. Thereafter began the rule of the Germans that continued for a span of five years. After the war, mass renovation programs were conducted. These were rather short termed because of the crisis of the building material supply. It was then that the city was referred to as the 'city without a heart'. Reconstructions started again in the 1950s and 60s when architects designed the city from scratch.
Rotterdam now
Presently Rotterdam is considered to be the largest port in the world with a capacity of 300 million metric tons. It is the only port that Berge Stahl, which is a 365000 ton ore carrier can access and is therefore fully dependent on it. With a population of about 600,000, it is considered to be one of the largest cities in the country of Netherlands. An integral part of the Netherlands economy, Rotterdam has also witnessed a considerable growth in its industrial front. Numerous chemical industries and petrochemical manufacturing units have been established.
The history of Rotterdam is characterized by wars, battles, destructions and renovations. Standing the test of time, the city has emerged to be one of the most important port cities in the world.
