Interview with Lex de Ridder (Port of Amsterdam)
People in and outside of Bonaire have been talking about the necessity of a proper harbor for a long time.
Over the past years, the issue of the harbor, meaning the lack of a well-functioning port,
would come up at almost every seminar or conference and in every study, report or presentation about economic development on Bonaire and the infrastructural conditions needed to make it happen. And although people were beginning to believe it was never going to happen, times seem to have changed for the better. The necessary emergency repairs to the South and North Piers will start in November, 2017, and a location for the new freight harbor is available and plans for the construction of this new container port are becoming concrete. If the members of the Island Council agree with the masterplan that will be presented to them in the second half of 2017, and the stakeholders continue to cooperate, Bonaire can have its much needed and desired new harbor in approximately three to five years.
The Port of Amsterdam International (PoAI), the Public Entity of Bonaire (PEB) and Rijkswaterstaat, the department of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (MIE), that is responsible for road, rail and waterway networks signed an agreement to start emergency repairs of the North and South Piers in March, 2017. By doing so, the parties kept their promise written in the Multiannual Program 2015-2018 for the Dutch Caribbean Islands which states that MIE is expected to invest at least nine million euro in the harbor of Bonaire (Multiannual Program Dutch Caribbean Islands 2015-2018, p. 7). The ministry reached out to the Port of Amsterdam and asked if they could support Bonaire and Aruba with the development of their harbors. Subsequently, the Bonairean government gave Lex de Ridder, the manager of the commercial business unit of the privatized (2013) Port of Amsterdam, four assignments to work on together with a Bonairian multidisciplinary project team. As the newly appointed Project Director of the port projects in Bonaire, he was to lead the team to repair the two piers; improve the harbor organization, its management and its earning capacity; establish a port for freight at a new location and last, but not least, implement and connect the Bonairean harbor organization with national and international legislation.
Harboring the new harbor
According to Lex de Ridder, the conditions to create a new port separating cruise and cargo have never been better. All parties agree that establishing a new cargo port is crucial to efforts regarding economic development on Bonaire and to enable (regulated) growth of the cruise tourism and freight industry at the same time. Time is therefore of the essence, or as de Ridders puts it, “The momentum for a new port is now.”After several studies, the preferred location for a new cargo port was found to be at the Hato power plant of WEB (water and energy company Bonaire). The plant is currently being used by WEB to produce and distribute electricity and drinking water. The energy company is planning to move the electrical power production elsewhere, as long as the sea water intake and the production of drinking water at the current site will remain secure and safe. The Executive Council agreed upon drafting a business case for the Hato plant earlier this year because of the available space, the calm wash of the waves, the zoning plan and road access. The approximately four acres of land available offer the opportunity to commercialize, control and regulate the development of the harbor area. Steady and calm waves provide a stable sea which will make maritime transport easier. Moreover, the zoning plan for the area doesn’t need to be changed because it was already designated for industrial and harbor use and the entrance to the location is easily accessible for heavy vehicle traffic.
“The conditions to create a new port separating cruise and cargo have never been better”
A realistic future
According to de Ridder, who was recently supported by colleagues and experts in engineering and maritime legislation, the total sum for developing Bonaire’s harbor, the emergency repairs of the piers and the creation of a new port will be about 25 to 30 million euros. This investment will have a lifespan of at least twenty-five to fifty years and the cost clearly exceeds the granted nine million. Even though the costs seem to be substantially higher, the Project Director is convinced an integrated development approach for the harbor can, and must, be accomplished. If not, the safety and continuity of Bonaire’s harbor cannot be guaranteed and it will cease to exist. He explains that both cruise and freight can generate much more income by charging the cruise tourists more per capita and by introducing and raising harbor dues with better port facilities and services in return. By involving the private sector, which is willing to invest through a mix of concessions, the island will not only be able to finance its integrated harbor plan, but also make a profit. As for regional competition, de Ridder assures this is logical and necessary because the other islands are looking into ways to increase the facilities, yields and profits of their harbors as well. In other words, it certainly seems like the development of Bonaire’s harbor is within reach and its future in the hands of the local government.
Lex de Ridder, born and raised in Harlingen, became interested in the port industry when Amsterdam decided to redevelop the eastern part of its harbor area. He got involved as a resident, and being an economist and specialist in logistical concepts at the time, he was intrigued. What attracted him the most was that harbor projects and developments are very hands-on and have a direct impact on the long-term economy. According to de Ridder, it was exactly what he was looking for. The fact that working for the Port of Amsterdam, which he has been doing for over fifteen years now, meant being able to act on a broadly orientated and international playing field made it even more interesting. He was thrilled when the ministry and his employer asked him to go to the Dutch Caribbean to help the islands improve their harbors. It not only gave him the opportunity to work in a multi-cultural environment, but it was also a chance to add value and make a difference by creating harbors that will benefit future generations.