'The ambitions are set in stone' — Port of Zwolle must stand on its own two feet

Zwolle, Kampen and Meppel want Port of Zwolle (PoZ), the municipalities' shared port authority, to become more independent. That is what Meppel alderman Klaas de Vries (Sterk Meppel) has announced.

The ambitions for Port of Zwolle are high — that much is clear. There are challenges in the areas of growth, sustainability and real operational clout. And although the port authority has become a recognised name in The Hague and even in Brussels, it is far from fully developed. In terms of scale, for example, the Port of Rotterdam or, closer to home, Groningen Seaports are already many steps ahead. But that does not stop the three municipalities from pursuing their towering ambitions. A new Berenschot report makes clear that the municipalities are steering towards the independence of the port authority. More staff are to be taken on, and ultimately it may even be the intention for PoZ to own land and thereby generate its own income.

Finding the balance

Meppel alderman Klaas de Vries (Sterk Meppel) also has grand plans for the port authority. "That report was meant to provide insight into the structure of PoZ," says De Vries. The port authority is currently a cooperative, and the researchers conclude that this form will not stand in the way of future growth. The report also looked at how the port authority should continue to grow. Three options were on the table, varying in degree of independence: under the first option the organisation largely stays the same, while the third would create a 'robust organisation' — meaning the port authority would stand more firmly on its own feet. And although the three municipalities no longer have their own harbour master but share one from PoZ, De Vries wants to go further. At the General Members' Meeting (GMM), Meppel will therefore vote for option three. It appears that Kampen and Zwolle will do the same, which should lead to a further increase in the port authority's independence. One of the measures discussed under the third option is hiring more staff. Currently three FTEs are available for PoZ, but this will be increased to 12.25 FTEs. The additional staff should provide greater operational capacity without, in principle, costing the municipalities more money, the alderman says. "Functions currently held by the three municipalities can in future be placed with PoZ. This process must of course be handled with the utmost care. Under PoZ, municipal staff will be able to collaborate more efficiently."

Responsibility

And although costs will not rise in that sense, revenues for the municipality of Meppel will decrease. "These measures will place more responsibility with PoZ, allowing it to generate more income. So less money will flow into the municipal budget and more into that of the port authority." The report also discusses the possibility of the organisation owning land. According to De Vries, land has two aspects: the owner and the party that decides what happens with it. "In principle, the municipality determines what can be done on the land," the alderman says. "PoZ could purchase land and lease it to port-related businesses." This already happens at Groningen Seaports and is a way of generating income. Although De Vries is positive about that step, it is still a bridge too far for now. "It is certainly an interesting idea, but it also depends on the financial situation. Getting PoZ to that point will require considerable effort — we are not there yet."

Lack of space

On the subject of land: another report, by Arcadis and Ecorys in collaboration with TU Delft, published last year, suggested that PoZ could need as much as 150 hectares of land by 2050 to realise all its ambitions. And where expansion is partly possible, it will cost tens of millions. Attention will also need to be directed towards other port areas such as Lelystad and Staphorst.

More efficient organisation

Does this temper the municipalities' ambitions? "No, the ambitions are set in stone," says De Vries. Above all, he wants to explore how to organise the Meppel port area more efficiently — for example by relocating businesses that have no port function. "We can also expand our ports or seek cooperation with other ports. We have not yet decided how we will realise our ambitions. The measures require research and that takes time." According to De Vries, the first priority is to bring structure to the Port of Zwolle organisation. He therefore wants to take time to see the effect of the upcoming changes before the municipalities proceed with transferring further responsibilities to PoZ. "After that, you could consider tasks such as land ownership and legal matters, so that the port authority can also advise other ports and businesses." The report also recommends keeping municipal councils well informed throughout the decision-making process around the port authority. De Vries states that the municipalities have agreed to update the councils both in writing and through in-person sessions. In the spring, the municipalities will give the green light at the GMM for the direction to be taken.