This year’s edition of the World Port Days in Rotterdam is canceled. The 43rd edition was scheduled for early September, the year in which the Netherlands celebrates 75 years of freedom, offered an excellent opportunity to demonstrate with the theme ‘Port of Opportunities’ what that freedom means for the port of Rotterdam and the rest of the Netherlands to this day.
The World Port Days is an annual maritime event in the port and the center of Rotterdam. Each year, during three days in September, there are spectacular demonstrations on the quay and the water, ships can be viewed and interesting excursions go into the harbor.
Although this weekend falls outside the currently applicable ban on major events, the organization has decided to cancel the event. Nevertheless, the World Port Days Foundation still wants to put the port of Rotterdam in the limelight in 2020 and is considering other possibilities.
In a statement the World Port Days Foundation says: “We closely follow the developments surrounding the coronavirus outbreak and are guided by the instructions of the Dutch government and RIVM. The World Port Days 2020 were scheduled for the weekend of September 4, 5 and 6 and for the time being fell outside the prohibition of large public events, which applies until September 1.”
Nevertheless, the World Port Days Foundation is of the opinion that, taking into account the restrictions that currently and probably soon will apply, it is not realistic that to organize such a large public event in the way that participants and visitors are used to. After extensive consultations with the main sponsors and partners the Foundatio has therefore decided that the World Port Days will unfortunately not be held this year.
“However, the organization does strive to traditionally put the port of Rotterdam in the limelight in the limelight,” says Sabine Bruijnincx, director of the World Port Days Foundation. “We are currently considering what this could look like and aim to provide clarity before the end of May.”