Visiting aadministrative stakeholders
On Friday 26 August, Frederik Zevenbergen, member of the South Holland Provincial Executive, was welcomed. Present on behalf of the Public Transport and Rail Directorate of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management was Ebru van Schie-Akdağ. Director Environmental Management Eric van der Schans represented the Rotterdam Port Authority. Present on behalf of ProRail included Infrastructure in Order programme manager Rick Warnar, regional director Helga Cuijpers and director of account management Jessica van den Bosch.
Explanation and demonstration of fire-fighting train
The group was taken to Waalhaven-Zuid, where ProRail’s project leader Sanne van den Haak talked about what is involved in the construction of fire extinguishing facilities at rail freight yards. She briefly explained the difference between the old and new permit requirements and how the new requirements fit into an area where space is scarce. This was followed by a demonstration of the fire extinguisher train in the yard.
All participants at Waalhaven-Zuid yard
Visit to Kijfhoek
In the afternoon, the programme took in a visit to Kijfhoek, the country’s largest freight yard. Here, goods from the Port of Rotterdam are sorted to their final destination. This makes Kijfhoek the important link between the port and major industrial areas in the Netherlands and Europe.
Ivo de Graaf updated everyone on the modernisation of the yard’s hump system. The visitors watched the operation of the main rail brake and the hump process with great interest.
Mutual understanding
ProRail regional director Helga Cuijpers stressed the importance of the working visit. “It is good to see each other not only at the meeting table. By discussing the challenges we face on location in very concrete terms, we create mutual understanding. That benefits cooperation. We all endorse the importance of rail freight transport for the Netherlands and Europe and are committed to enabling its growth.”
