Abstract

The port land reclamation project - Maasvlakte II of the Port of Rotterdam - is probably, the most literal extension of the Economic Rhine Region, enhancing it in size and length. In the 1970s and the 1990s, attempts was made by Rotterdam to construct this port expansion. Whereas, in the 1970s the proposal for Maasvlakte II was rejected because of popular resistance, in the 1990s all former opponents began to support Maasvlakte II resulting in its 2008 construction. The reason behind this disparity is the subject of this paper. Firstly, it is concluded that, in contrast to the 1970s, broad support was cultivated as opponents and supporters were part of the same discourse coalition, which supported economic development parallel to the creation of new nature reserve. Within this context resistance and delays were instrumental in fostering a dialogue and reducing conflicts. Finally, within this context it is concluded that plans for port expansions are only effective if they are in line with national policy or the dominant discourse coalition.

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hdl.handle.net/1765/77428
Department of History

Koppenol, D. (2014). Conflicts about the Extension of the Rhine Economy. The case of the port expansion by Maasvlakte II (1969-2008). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/77428