The Port of Rotterdam will step up monitoring of drone activity in its airspace this year. Harbour master René de Vries stressed the importance of close supervision, citing the rise of unauthorised drone flights across Europe during Tuesday’s presentation of the port’s annual figures.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority is launching the first step towards a fully regulated low airspace. This initial phase focuses on the registration, admission, and authorisation of drone flights to gain better control over unmanned aircraft. Like airports, major ports are struggling to prevent unwanted drone activity.
“We must not be naive,” said De Vries. “Recent incidents with submarine infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and drone flights over vital European infrastructure show that both physical and cyber security are crucial for the Port of Rotterdam. With today’s geopolitical changes, we must keep investing in resilience.”
Friendly and hostile drones
The port is also investing in drone detection systems to help distinguish between friendly and potentially hostile drones. De Vries said the long-term goal is to establish a full air traffic management system for drones and other unmanned flights. “It’s a complex process,” he noted. “We will need it in the years ahead.”
Increased safety on the water
On the water, the port reported a relatively safe year. The number of collisions fell from 148 to 106, raising the Nautical Safety Index from 6.1 to 7.8. Despite the improvement, De Vries said there was no reason for celebration. Three people lost their lives last year in non-nautical work accidents within the port area. “These incidents fall outside the harbour master’s division, but they had a major impact,” he said.
To further improve safety, new speed limits for vessels around the Erasmus Bridge will take effect on 1 April. Ships will be limited to 20 kilometres per hour near the bridge and 50 kilometres per hour within the wider area. There is currently no speed limit on the Nieuwe Maas, according to a spokesperson. The change follows recommendations from the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) after several incidents around the bridge.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
