The Netherlands has offered to establish the Port of Rotterdam as a central hub for stockpiling critical raw materials to bolster the EU's supply chain security, officials said at the Raw Materials Week in Brussels.
The EU plans to stockpile critical minerals under its upcoming ResourceEU plan, set for publication in December. While specific sourcing details remain limited, a central goal is to co-ordinate member state actions across the supply chain, from joint purchasing to stockpiling.
Rotterdam, the EU's largest port, could play a vital role, according to Dutch officials.
"The Port of Rotterdam is the gateway to Europe, with a significant volume of goods passing through to reach other countries," Dutch economic affairs ministry industry policy head Imane Elfilae said. "When discussing stockpiling and strategies to strengthen European value chains, we can offer the port as a vital entry point to the continent," she added during a panel last week.
According to Elfilae, Europe's plan to secure strategic raw materials is "not only about finance, but also about collaboration among European countries, each contributing unique strengths — and in the Netherlands we are quite good at logistics".
The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies recently assessed that strategic stockpiling of critical raw materials in the Netherlands is feasible, as they are relatively small in volume compared with other resource flows and can be managed in limited space.
The Dutch government is actively working to secure supply chains for critical minerals, not only through stockpiling plans but also through strategic corridors. Recent initiatives include collaborating on the design of a Green Minerals Terminal in Namibia that will handle exports of lithium, graphite and manganese, as well as green hydrogen imports and other strategic cargo. The collaboration aligns with the EU's Global Gateway initiative, which seeks to boost global investment in sustainable infrastructure and energy transition projects.
