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As a logistics network, Port of Twente wants to help create more employment in the logistics sector. This can be achieved through a sophisticated balance between transport of goods over water and land. Twente can position itself at the top of the Dutch and European logistics sectors using smarter logistics and synchromodal solutions. Manufacturing companies from Twente can save costs in this way, and water transport is more sustainable than transporting goods by road alone.
Port of Twente is involved in many activities, such as attracting more or specialist logistics companies to Twente. Port of Twente wants to improve the entire logistics sector by eliminating bottlenecks in the infrastructure and optimising its use. An important aspect is connecting education and the labour market to the transport and logistics sectors' needs. More distinctive capacity can be created with innovation and research for a sustainable future in transportation by water and road.
Around 37 per cent of all transport in the Netherlands is water transport. Bulk goods such as sand, gravel, coal and grain were already transported by ship, traditionally. Over the years, the shipping of containers has been added to this. For instance, sea containers that enter the country near Rotterdam or Amsterdam are transported further inland on smaller container ships through rivers and canals. Transport by water is usually cheaper than transport by road, and reliability is also better because ships do not quickly get stuck in traffic jams. This allows for more accurate planning unless water levels are too low due to drought.
Logistic transloading points have been realised in Twente at strategic points, so water and road transport can be optimally coordinated. Transport by water reduces CO2 emissions. The advantage of boat transport is that large loads can be transported cheaply, conscious of the environment and at relatively low costs. Disadvantages of water transport are relative slowness and the fact that not all destinations can be reached. The advantage of transporting by truck is the relative speed with which virtually all destinations can be reached. The disadvantage of road transport is that it is less friendly to the environment, even though the sector does invest a lot in vehicles with economical and environmentally-friendly engines. Traffic jams can also delay road transport.
The Twente Canal is very important for transport to and from Twente. The Twente Canal waterway connects three of Twente’s largest cities to the national network of rivers and canals. These cities are Almelo, Hengelo and Enschede. The Twente Canal starts at the IJssel, North of Zutphen. The canal is almost parallel to the railway between Zutphen and Enschede. West of Delden, the canal branches off to Almelo. Rijkswaterstaat is responsible for the canal. Including the side branch, the canal is 65 kilometres in length. The Twente Canal is five metres deep and around 50 metres wide, and it has been classified as a CEMT Va waterway. That means a large Rhine vessel with a maximum width of 11,50 metres, a draught of 2.80 metres, and a length of 110 can sail on the canal. The canal's depth is specified as 5 metres, even though the threshold depth at all locks is 3,75 metres below channel level.
Port of Twente works on a sustainable future with other network organisations such as XL Businesspark Twente in Almelo and Combi Terminal Twente (CTT) in Hengelo.
