We are eager to learn how you feel about these protests. Please feel free to share your thoughts via our Press Officers.

Protests and rallies fit into the social discussion on climate change, and it is okay that there are different ideas in our society about the feasible timeline to reach a fossil-free energy system. It keeps us on our toes and focused on the hugely important task we have to achieve. In the end, we all have the same goal, and, under all circumstances, we will keep the discussion with parties like XR going. 

It is beyond dispute that global greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced. The Port Authority feels responsible for the impact of activities in the port on the climate and the immediate environment. The safety and health of present and future generations are paramount in the choices made by the Port Authority. The energy transition involves a fundamental system change. Therefore companies, governments and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are working on the same goal: a CO₂ neutral port. Currently, 70 projects are under way that contribute to the energy transition in the port of Rotterdam. 

Thanks to the port of Rotterdam, companies in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond area employ more than 193,000 people. The port also contributes more than 30 billion euros to the Dutch economy. Industry in the port supplies companies and households with electricity, and European companies with raw materials and semi-finished products so that they can produce important products. This means the Netherlands is less dependent on countries outside Europe. In order to maintain the current positive economic and social impact, we need a port and industrial complex that is future-proof. Therefore, the port and industry in Rotterdam have committed to the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and to be climate neutral by 2050. This is a huge challenge but necessary, as the energy transition will make the port future-proof.

Over the course of last year, protests with a focus on the activities of the port authority and companies in the port have increased as a result of the XR campaign. During the World Port Days, activists blocked the Erasmusbrug and at the end of November some 40 protesters chained themselves to the freight railroad tracks at the Maasvlakte to call attention to the Dutch role in the global coal chain, and access roads in the port were blocked in December. All these actions were aimed at drawing attention to climate justice and social welfare.

In 2023, the Rotterdam chapter of XR started the ‘Recapture the port’ (‘Herover de haven’) campaign. Their campaign has four spearheads: ‘Recapture our air’ (regarding possible health damage related to port activities), ‘Recapture our future’ (focussing on the speed of the energy transition), ‘Recapture our jobs’ (to protect workers against possible changes in the industry), ‘Recapture our voice’ (transparency in communication and decision-making about the port). Alongside the ‘Recapture the port’ campaign, XR Rotterdam is also joining other campaigns that have links to the activities in the port and the shipping sector. These include campaigns against the negative side effects of the use of LNG, but also against coal imports from Colombia, which is linked to human rights violations according to XR.  

Rallies and protests have long been used to raise public awareness of environmental challenges and increase support for pro-environmental behaviour and policy. They have a long tradition in local, national and international environmental movements. With activities ranging from rallies, boycotts and civil disobedience to social media activism, environmentalists have mobilised to protest air pollution, climate change and human rights violations, for example. Extinction Rebellion (XR) is one of the climate movements that has set its sights on the port of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority since last year. They made the headlines the last couple of months. Let’s catch up on what happened and look at our current stance on this topic.