The port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands has started to prepare for possible war and are creating space for NATO ships carrying supplies of military cargo.
The port is Europe’s largest, and the move has been made by the Netherlands after NATO allies are warning that a full-scale war across the bloc will happen within the next five years.
The Rotterdam Port is mapping out logistic routes for the transfer of weaponry and vehicles and they are appointing a special designated area for military use, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Neighbouring port of Antwerp in Belgium will also coordinate military logistic for weapons, ammunition and other equipment.
Making reference to the port of Antwerp, Boudewijn Siemons, Chief Executive of the Port of Rotterdam Authority said, “We see each other less and less as competitors.
“If large volumes of military goods would have to be shipped, we’d look to Antwerp or other ports to take over some capacity and the other way around.”
Not every terminal is suitable for receiving military cargo, but if there is a need to send large volumes of military cargo, the EU will turn to Antwerp (Belgium) or other ports to take over some of the capacity, and vice versa,” Siemons said.
On Saturday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that if China attacks Taiwan then the Kremlin could be asked to attack NATO allies, the New York Times (NYT) reported.
Rutte warned in an interview with the NYT, “There’s an increasing realization, and let’s not be naive about this: If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.”
“That is most likely the way this will progress. And to deter them, we need to do two things.
“One is that NATO, collectively, being so strong that the Russians will never do this. And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific — something President (Donald) Trump is very much promoting,” Rutte added.
Last year Putin’s defence budget increased to 42% hitting $462 billion which is more than the total combined defence spending is of all of Europe, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said.
Analysts and Western officials have been watching closely at Putin’s defence budget since the full-scale war in Ukraine started.
