The Port of Rotterdam Authority will launch a pilot on 1 May to temporarily merge two vessel traffic sectors into a single “supersector”.
The trial will combine the Rozenburg and Maassluis sectors at weekends and overnight on weekdays, running from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am until 1 November 2026. Outside these windows, the existing 11-sector structure will remain in place.
In Rotterdam, vessel movements are managed by Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), part of the Harbour Master’s Division, which oversees safe and efficient navigation across the port.
Each sector is typically monitored by a dedicated operator responsible for advising vessels on routing, traffic conditions, weather and water levels.
Under the pilot, traffic control for the combined area will be handled from Rozenburg, with a single VTS operator overseeing both sectors as one operational zone.
The initiative follows an internal review of traffic patterns in Maassluis, which identified sustained periods of low activity, particularly at night and during weekends.
These conditions can result in extended monitoring with limited intervention, prompting the authority to explore more balanced workload distribution.
By consolidating sectors during off-peak periods, the Port of Rotterdam Authority aims to maintain operator engagement while ensuring continued oversight.
The model is designed to reduce underload, support consistent alertness and improve task efficiency without increasing operational risk.
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René de Vries, State Harbour Master, said: “We want to organise our work so that VTS operators remain alert and active even during less busy periods. At the same time, the safety of shipping traffic is absolutely paramount. With this pilot, we are investigating whether a more flexible sector layout can help with this, without compromising safety or efficiency. The ability to decouple the sectors immediately if necessary remains an essential prerequisite.”
Safety measures remain central to the trial. Communication with vessels will continue via standard VHF channels, and an additional VTS operator will be present at all times within the traffic centres. This allows the sectors to be separated immediately if traffic volumes increase or operational conditions change.
From a port operations perspective, the pilot reflects a broader shift towards more adaptive traffic management models, where digital oversight and flexible resource allocation can better match fluctuating demand.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority will evaluate the pilot after 1 November, with findings expected to inform whether the approach is adopted, adjusted or expanded across other sectors.
For more information:
Port of Rotterdam – https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en
