The Dutch Ambassador to Spain, Matthijs van Bonzel visits Valenciaport and is interested in the latest investments planned by the Port Authority of Valencia.
Until August of this year, Valenciaport had exchanged with the ports of Holland 86,000 tonnes more than in 2016.
Valencia, October the 16th 2017. – Commercial relations between Valenciaport and Dutch ports have increased by more than 50% in the last two years, from an import / export exchange of 367,779 tonnes commercialized in 2015 to 557,302 tonnes up to August the 21st. The increase registered in this mentioned period of 20 months was 189,523 tonnes, which indicates an increase of 51.53%. These figures are indicative of Valenciaport’s excellent relationship with the Netherlands. If we look at the data of the last year, foreign trade with the Netherlands reached 471,236 tonnes in 2016. Until August of this year 2017, this movement had reached 557,302 tonnes, representing a growth of more than 86,000 tonnes and an increase of 18%, with five months to the end of the year.
Of the total of 557,302 commercialized tonnes in the Netherlands during the year, the most notable – with regard to exports – are automobiles and their parts, with 51,000 tonnes; natural and artificial fertilizers, with 37,000 tonnes; and biofuels, with 18,000 tonnes. With regard to imports, steel products stand out with 162,000 tonnes; and natural gas, with 74,000 tonnes.
Valenciaport has a very close relationship with the port of Rotterdam, which accounts for 83% of the traffic that is channeled to the Netherlands, although it also has links with the ports of Vlissingen, Moerdyk or Amsterdam, among others. Currently, Valenciaport has 15 regular lines connecting it with the Dutch ports.
The excellent commercial relationship between the ports of Valencia and the Dutch centered a good part of the visit that the Dutch ambassador in Spain, Mattijs van Bonzel, made last Friday to the PAV. During the visit, he was accompanied by his wife, Cristina Gómez; and the consul in Valencia, Eric Nolte. The meeting was attended by Francesc Sánchez, general director of the Port Authority of Valencia; and Manuel Rodríguez, director of shipping companies.
As the Dutch ambassador explained to the general director of Valenciaport “we follow the current situation of the Port of Valencia because of the close relationship that links it with our economy and our companies. This relationship has increased significantly in the last two years. We received reports from the Consulate of Valencia about its port, its importance in the Mediterranean and its worldwide projection; hence we are attentive to the evolution of problems with port workers or the news about investments in the railroad with Zaragoza, about the start of Citroën exports, or the spectacular traffic data for the month of August; news that we celebrate.”
For his part, the general director of the PAV, Francesc Sánchez indicated to the Dutch ambassador the investment plans that the port of Valencia plans to run to maintain his leadership as a service center for companies in his hinterland. “We compete with other port areas, but the ones that compete are not the ports but the logistics chains; and they do it based on their efficiency and their intelligence, and there Valenciaport has a lot to say” Francesc Sánchez said.