The Amsterdam port region is one of the world’s key logistics hubs for the storage and transhipment of international cargo flows such as coal, minerals and cocoa as well as comparatively new cargo flows emerging due to the development of the biobased and circular economy. Some of these cargo flows come from countries where production involves environmental damage, poor working conditions or human rights violations while enforcement and supervision by local government are flawed. This triggers both questions and resistance in us as a port and among the general public.
We believe that, as a link in the trading chain, we have a moral responsibility in this regard, and not just because Port of Amsterdam is queried about this fairly regularly. Driven by our ambition to be one of the most sustainable ports in Europe, we take these signals seriously. This is why the theme of ‘responsible supply chains’ is embedded in the Port’s sustainability agenda. With the development of this theme, Port of Amsterdam aims to make a contribution to chain transparency and, as a logistics player in the trade chain, to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is our vision on our role, our principles and our scope for action with regard to ‘cargo with added weight.’