History of the Rotterdam Port
This development of the port was a gradual process and was given an impetus by the discovery of an open link that connected the waterway with the North Sea. It was known as the Nieuwe Waterweg. After the opening up of this channel, Rotterdam port was ready to become the crucial link between Europe and the rest of the world.In its early days, the mouth of the River Rotte was blocked as a result of the building up of dams. These dams were a major obstacle and restricted the movement of ships. Cargo was now transported over the dam and it had to be transferred from one ship to another. The port was now increasingly used for movement of cargo. A herring fishing industry came into being and played an instrumental role in the transformation of the small settlement to a flourishing city.
Rotterdam was now a full fledged trading port. Trading vessels sailed to and from the port of Rotterdam to the Dutch East Indies and South America. Most of them carried spices and tobacco. During the 19th century, the port of Rotterdam was frequently used for supplying oil to the countries in Western Europe. The Rotterdam Port, however, suffered considerable damage during the Second World War. But then it was soon restored to its erstwhile state and was soon flocked by shipping companies.
