Antwerp and Rotterdam, as port cities, together form the heart of an economic crossroads that processes millions of goods, travelers, and logistics movements annually. This international dynamic also attracts criminal networks. These organizations know no borders and consider both cities as one integrated operational area. They use the same infrastructure, benefit from the smooth mobility between the two ports, and are aware of vulnerabilities in the logistics chains. This also impacts the hinterland. The import of drugs leads to storage and processing locations in the cities. Young people from neighborhoods are approached to extract drugs from containers. This issue causes similar challenges in both cities.

Successful Cooperation
Since 2021, both police services have deepened their cooperation through intensive exchanges and joint initiatives, including operational ones. During working visits, valuable knowledge and experience were exchanged regarding undermining, port security, cybercrime, and traffic safety. This has resulted in successful initiatives from Antwerp being translated to Rotterdam and vice versa. Workshops for services from both countries were organized, analysts aligned police trends and threats, and experts from both forces established direct contact lines that support natural cooperation. An example of operational cooperation is the assistance provided by the Antwerp High Protection Risk Team to the Rotterdam Surveillance Unit during the NATO summit. But cooperation sometimes also involves other things, such as exchanging knowledge and experience in developing a new motorcycle suit and approaches to improve colleagues resilience.

Political and Administrative Support
The renewal aligns with the letter of intent between both cities (2019) and the first MOU from 2021. The continuous support from administrative levels in both countries provides stability, predictability, and legitimacy to the cooperation. Thanks to fixed SPOC structures, annual meetings, agreements on priorities, and clear communication lines, the cooperation received a reliable framework that continues to allow room for growth.

Chief of Police Serge Muyters sees the cooperation only growing and intensifying:
“The daily reality in both port cities shows how strongly our security issues are intertwined. Our partnership with Rotterdam has delivered tangible results for years. This renewal stimulates innovation, improves our analyses, and strengthens the joint approach to serious crime.”

Police Chief Tolga Koklu sees the same DNA in both forces, the DNA of port city residents, characterized by ‘actions, not words’ and rolled-up sleeves;
“In recent years, the police forces of Antwerp and Rotterdam have demonstrated that borders are meant to be bridged. As port city residents, our colleagues share the same DNA. They understand each other professionally and strengthen each other’s development. We also support each other in finding solutions to problems such as tackling undermining, recruiting our youth by criminal groups, and developments in AI. We make use of the opportunities provided by the Benelux treaty to increase our operational effectiveness.

A Future-Oriented Cooperation
The MOU encourages new initiatives around information analysis, public order, and innovative police techniques. Both forces develop additional projects that increase operational agility and respond to international phenomena such as misuse of legal structures, undermining, excessive violence, and the recruitment and exploitation of minors/youth by criminal organizations for committing offenses. In terms of psychosocial support for personnel and communication and traffic safety, the cooperation will offer more opportunities in the long term. Regarding operational information exchange, both police services strictly follow existing international and national agreements but will make maximum use of the possibilities offered by the new Benelux treaty to intensify operational cooperation between both forces. The new MOU starts immediately and runs until December 11, 2029.