There is a substantial shortage of logistics real estate in Rotterdam. To accommodate the growth of container transhipment, 250,000 square metres of additional storage space is needed, while that is not available.
Real estate consultant Colliers notes that container transhipment in Rotterdam grew 27 per cent over the past seven years to 142.6 million tonnes. For every five containers transshipped in Rotterdam, storage space for one container is needed, and with an expected growth of another 15 million tonnes until 2020, at least 250,000 square metres of new logistics real estate is needed.
Only 40,000 m2 available in Rotterdam
There is no such space in Rotterdam, Colliers argues. The existing supply of logistics property covers 259,000 square metres. Of this, 85 per cent would not be suitable for logistics service providers. For example, most properties are too small or have insufficient height, leaving only 40,000 square metres of good quality logistics space available on the Rotterdam market.
Companies rent space from each other
According to Colliers, the fact that the shortage is becoming increasingly acute can be seen in the space companies are renting from each other. in the first quarter of 2018, 98,000 square metres were rented from other companies, an increase of 60 per cent compared to the whole of 2017.
Building on green fields
To enable new construction, green fields are available in the Rotterdam region where logistics centres can be built. At Distripark Maasvlakte West and business park Kickersbloem 3, for example, 150 hectares of allocable land are still available, which Colliers says offer sufficient space to meet the demand for logistics space. The property consultant calls on municipalities, developers and investors to take up the gauntlet so that expanding logistics companies can be accommodated in the region.
Read the full report 'Rotterdam Logistics Market' here.
