A delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Development Cooperation (BDO) visited the Rotterdam port and the Kijfhoek marshalling yard in Zwijndrecht on Friday, September 12. The aim was to gain better insight into the cooperation between Defense, port, and rail. To this end, members of Parliament engaged in discussions with representatives from these sectors, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and DOSCO itself, at the invitation of Commander Jan-Willem Maas of the Defense Support Command (DOSCO).
Dual use
The common thread throughout the day was the concept of dual use: smart investment and collaboration in infrastructure and logistics between Defense and the private sector. To enhance military mobility, DOSCO makes agreements with third parties. For example, regarding the use of low-loaders to quickly relocate tanks. This has proven to be a win-win situation, as the members of Parliament were informed. Increasing the resilience of the Netherlands and NATO allies also means better protection for domestic companies and employees. Moreover, the private sector receives a market-conform compensation from Defense for the use of their equipment. For Defense, this means a rapid and effective expansion of capacity. Due to the increase of the NATO standard to 5% of GDP and the availability of EU funds, the financial resources are indeed becoming available. However, this does not mean that new equipment can be purchased immediately; that may still take years. Additionally, collaboration offers opportunities for Defense to learn from the private sector, such as how to increase efficiency in logistics. Mutual trust is the key concept here.
Bottlenecks
The choice of the Rotterdam port as the location for the visit was not coincidental: along with Vlissingen and Eemshaven, these are the seaports that receive and transfer military equipment by ship to other NATO partners. Hence, the decision to show the delegation how ingeniously the further distribution of all that equipment takes place via rail at the Kijfhoek marshalling yard in Zwijndrecht. The members of Parliament invited the hosts to point out necessary bottlenecks. Shortages of skilled workers, scarcity among contractors, and material shortages are some well-known issues. The rapidly evolving developments concerning drones – both in the air and underwater – were also mentioned. The recently submitted Defense Readiness Act aims to eliminate bottlenecks, including by simplifying procedures. Some attendees indicated that existing legislation does not align well with practice or conflicts with one another.
Social awareness
The delegation was then made aware of the need to increase social awareness of the growing tensions in the world. Various speakers called for more attention to a change in mindset regarding the consequences of these tensions, such as the threat at NATOs eastern border. We should no longer arrange our resilience as efficiently as possible, but instead look for a plan B. What if, for example, the transport of equipment over land is no longer possible? What is needed to be able to divert over sea? There is a price tag attached to that. As a society, we can be more aware that we need to set different priorities for the resilience of the Netherlands and the alliance. The parties in the field indicated that it certainly helps them if they are not alone in this – for example, in communicating with society about which priorities are being set, as the members of Parliament were told.
Not so black and white
Senator Ingrid Visseren Hamakers (PvdD) was one of the delegation members. She found the visit informative and educational. ‘You gain insights here that you cannot organize in another way. It is very special that so many parties come to tell us about what they are so passionately involved in. For example, I did not know that Defense collaborated so much with parties in the field. I have gained the insight that the line between where Defenses work area ends and where that of third parties begins is not so black and white. At the same time, as a member of Parliament, you must also be able to zoom out during such visits and consider other aspects in your judgment. For example, that we make necessary investments to keep conflicts at bay while still importing billions from a country like Russia. During such a visit, you do wonder if we as members of Parliament have that broader perspective in order.’
The delegation also included senators Fatimazhra Belhirch (D66), Karin van Bijsterveld (JA21), Math Goossen (BBB), Henk Marquart Scholtz (BBB), and committee chair Koen Petersen (VVD).
