Our day started by taking the metro from our hotel to the heart of the Port of Rotterdam. Once there, we walked to the Floating Farm — a small farm that operates on a specially designed barge in one of the port’s berths. The farm opened in 2019 and remains the only floating farm in the world. It took about a year to build and sits on a custom-fabricated concrete barge that features space below the waterline and a two-story metal structure above.
The farm produces both plant and animal products. The top-level houses thirty cows whose milk is sold directly to consumers and also used to make products such as yogurt and cheese. The farm has the capacity for forty cows, but the owners intentionally keep the number lower to avoid overcrowding the animals. The middle level contains all of the machinery and equipment needed to prepare the cows’ food, produce dairy products, collect and filter rainwater, and manage the waste the cows produce. The bottom level houses a vertical farm used to grow microgreens, which are then harvested and sold to customers. This section operates within a sealed environment that limits the plants’ exposure to bugs and bacteria, eliminating the need for pesticides.
The core idea behind the farm’s design is to make use of unused water space within or near cities to bring food production closer to urban residents. The concept was inspired by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York City, where the storm left much of the city’s infrastructure unusable for an extended period, halting the delivery of fresh food. The farm’s founders thought that if cities had their own food production systems located closer to consumers, fresh food could be distributed more efficiently. The farm’s local nature means products can be delivered directly to customers without the need for any middlemen.
During our time at the port, we also visited RDM Rotterdam. RDM is a partnership between the Port Authority of Rotterdam, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and Rotterdam Technical College. The site encompasses the former shipyard of the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, a historic shipbuilding company, and now houses manufacturing spaces, labs, classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices. RDM’s mission is straightforward: it provides start-up companies focused on innovation in shipping, logistics, and port technology with a space to develop and grow, while also connecting them with university students and potential investors. The Port Authority views this investment in students and start-ups as a way to usher in the era of the smart port. A smart port is one that operates more efficiently, sustainably, and economically than ever before.
RDM has been the birthplace of several industry-changing products and services. One notable example is Ampelmann, a company that develops technology for safe and efficient work and transportation in offshore environments. Their offshore access systems allow workers to transfer from ships to offshore installations on a stable platform that is isolated from the movement of the vessel, greatly improving both safety and efficiency. The company is also currently developing a system that attaches to the blades of offshore wind turbines, providing workers with a safe, enclosed environment in which to operate.
