The waterway that changed Rotterdam
Rotterdam’s expansion depended on improving its access to the sea. As ships grew, the older route through the Voorne Canal became too narrow and shallow. In 1858, an engineering recommendation led by Pieter Caland proposed a new passage through the dunes at Hoek van Holland.
The first vessel used the newly cut Nieuwe Waterweg in March 1872. Opening the route did not solve every problem immediately: further silting meant improvement continued, with the route fully in use by 1895.
The waterway supported rapid port growth alongside industrialisation in Germany. Rotterdam provided a link between the North Sea and the Ruhr’s demand for raw materials. The present port stretches beyond the historic city waterfront; the camera below shows the Amazonehaven area.