Announcement on behalf of the Harbour Master:
We would like to inform you about improvements to nautical capacity planning in the port of Rotterdam. The Port Call Optimisation (PCO) programme was launched in 2022. This programme is a joint initiative of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, shipping companies, terminals, maritime and nautical service providers and other relevant parties.
The aim of the PCO programme is to make port calls for seagoing vessels smarter, more transparent and more predictable. This will enable bottlenecks to be identified at an earlier stage, better decisions to be made, and port calls to be carried out more efficiently and safely.
The improvement in nautical capacity planning contributes to this.
You will notice this in the following improvements, which will be introduced in the short term.
- A guideline for ordering the minimum number of tugboats – as of 1 June 2026
- Cross-chartering by port tug services – as of 1 June 2026
- Trial period for reassessing the nautical planning when departing seagoing vessels are delayed – as of 1 July 2026
1. A guideline for ordering the minimum number of tugboats as of 1 June 2026
Boluda Towage, Fairplay Towage, the Pilotage Service and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have jointly established guidelines for the minimum number of harbour tugs. This number provides an accurate indication of the minimum number of tugs required to assist a seagoing vessel, based on criteria such as the length, draught, destination and category of the vessel. The minimum number of tugs can be determined using a table. This table, together with an instruction manual, has been published on the Port of Rotterdam website on Forms and checklists sea shipping | Port of Rotterdam. The minimum number of tugs in the table has been determined based on historical data, amongst other factors. It is recommended to order using LAB (Loods Aantal Boten / Pilot Number of Boats) to prevent too few tugs being ordered initially.
By establishing an accurate minimum number of tugs, it is easier to order the precise number of tugs in timely manner. This makes the required tug capacity more predictable and allows it to be deployed more efficiently.
2. Cross-chartering by port tug services as of 1 June 2026
The towage companies Boluda Towage and Fairplay Towage are going to charter their tugboats to one another, a practice known as ‘cross-chartering’. This means that they will be able to utilise each other’s tugboat capacity to cope with short-term peaks in demand for tugboats in the port of Rotterdam.
3. Trial period for reassessing the nautical planning when departing seagoing vessels are delayed
From 1 July 2026, a trial period will begin for the reassessment of the planning of departing seagoing vessels. This reassessment will take place if a vessel is expected to be delayed by more than 30 minutes on departure. If it is judged that the delay will disrupt the schedule, the agent will receive an email notification. This message will state that this is a trial period, but that, had it been implemented in full, the voyage of this vessel could have been cancelled. The trial period will last three months and may be extended if necessary. Upon implementation, this reassessment will ensure that a delay to one vessel has less impact on the schedule of the next vessel. This will enable the nautical service providers to serve the next vessel in case of a delay.
These first three improvements represent a major step forward in optimising nautical capacity planning in the port of Rotterdam.
We will continue to evaluate these improvements and keep you informed of any new developments.
In the coming period, we will be exploring further options for earlier ordering and capacity planning among nautical service providers. We look forward to working together on this to develop a suitable approach.
Would you like to have more information about these improvements? Contact:
Milou Aerts – Port Call Optimisation Programme Manager: m.aerts@portofrotterdam.com.
Harold Roosenboom – Traffic Handling Manager
