The Dutch Association of Inland Ports (Nederlandse Vereniging van Binnenhavens, NVB) represents the vast majority of Dutch inland ports. Although the Netherlands is only a small country, inland shipping plays a major role in the mobility of the country – and, therefore, so do inland ports. Inland ports in the Netherlands are regarded as an essential link in the logistics chain.

They are hubs in the network of hinterland connections, and are therefore vital to facilitate transport between the Dutch seaports and the hinterland. The NVB strongly focuses on getting the relevance of the Dutch ports on the national political agenda. NVB was established in 1996 – so we will celebrate our 30th anniversary within a few years too! – and we have been a member of EFIP ever since. In its strategic plan 2020 – 2025, NVB defined five key themes: digitalisation, accessibility, sustainable and future proof port policy, energy transition and circular economy, and cooperation and operation.

Currently, we are in the process of evaluating our present strategic plan and drafting a new one for the coming five years. This process includes a reassessment of the main themes, and a broader perspective of not just the Netherlands but also developments in the rest of Europe. And that’s where EFIP comes into play.

Over the last year, NVB has redoubled its active role as an EFIP member. The reason is the increased importance of European policy and legislation for the Dutch ports. Where the NVB-focus is mainly at national policy level, the EFIP- focus at the European level complements our work.
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We believe that the energy transition and circular economy, as well as accessibility and climate resilience will become increasingly
important topics.

These themes go way beyond the national scope. The framework will therefore have to be set at an European level, after which the actual execution will have to take place at the national level. We need EFIP to actively monitor and influence the relevant European policies, to actively lobby when necessary, and to keep us informed. Apart from these strategic activities, both NVB and our members happily appeal to EFIP for operational support.
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A good example of this was the workshop we organised for the Dutch inland ports in April 2024, about European subsidies. EFIP was one of the speakers and explained not only the basic principles of the European subsidies (for better understanding of their purpose) but also which subsidy is applicable to which type of project, and the latest developments.

The interaction with other speakers - one from a subsidy consultancy firm and another from a Dutch inland port that recently secured a European subsidy - and the way all the information was interconnected resulted in a very engaging workshop. It provided our members with practical (hands-on) information and valuable advice.

All those above and other activities show the importance of the work of EFIP and its continued success.
We look forward to seeing where the Federation and its members go in the next 30 years.