Rijnhaven

The construction of Rijnhaven took place between 1887 and 1895 under the direction of Gerrit de Jongh, Director of Municipal Works.

Initially, Rijnhaven was excavated as a mooring place for ships unable to navigate the frozen Rhine during winter, but the municipality of Rotterdam soon decided to deepen the harbour so that larger vessels could also use it.

Due to the growth of maritime transportation along the river, this area became a transhipment port for bulk goods. Later, it transformed into a storage port for inland navigation vessels. These moorings were relocated to Maashaven earlier this century.

Currently, a complete development of the area will turn this whole area into a new part of the city center. The adjacent Katendrecht area is currently being renovated. On March 14, 2022, the opening ceremony was held to reclaim 1/3 of Rijnhaven.

To carry out the remodeling of Rijnhaven, a total of 8 hectares of land will be reclaimed by filling part of the dock for Rijnhavenpark and housing. The filling process will last until mid-2023, after which the sand will need to settle for over 1.5 years before construction can begin.

From 2025, approximately 2,500 homes will be built on reclaimed land, including social housing, mid-rental apartments, and owner-occupied houses.

Rijnhaven will retain its harbor character with quays and water views. An urban beach and green areas will also be created.

In this video you can see the new project:

Discover other docks in Rotterdam