Europe’s biggest seaport preparing for potential conflict with Russia – FT

The port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is preparing for a possible conflict between NATO and Russia by reserving space for vessels carrying weapons and making plans to host regular military drills, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Western European politicians have frequently claimed that Russia harbors aggressive intentions against NATO countries – accusations that Moscow has dismissed as detached from reality.   

The port of Rotterdam, which is the largest in Europe and handles over 460 million tons of cargo annually, would have a dedicated quay for NATO supply ships in the event of a conflict with Russia, something that was not the case even at the height of the Cold War, the FT said.