Orginated in the 1960s
The port and industrial area of Moerdijk was created in the 1960s. At that time, reservoirs were constructed in nearby national park the Biesbosch. The collected water went to industry in the Botlek and to the Rotterdam drinking water company. The sand that was excavated in the Biesbosch was used for the construction of a new port and industrial area between Moerdijk and Klundert. Shell was in urgent need of capacity expansion and municipalities in the area were looking for options to prevent the migration of young, well-educated people to the west.
1968: establishment of the IHM
On January 26, 1968, the Joint Regulation "Buitengaats Industrieterrein Moerdijk" was established by the province of North Brabant, the municipality of Breda and the three cooperating municipalities of Klundert, Zevenbergen and Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe. The Joint Regulation was published in the Staatscourant on 18 June 1968. With this, the Industry and Harbour Authority (IHM) was born.
Shell is the first to come to Moerdijk
In 1968, Shell was the first to decide to move to Moerdijk to establish itself there. Shell needed to expand its capacity in Pernis and therefore purchased the land. In 1973, Shell opened its first factory.
BP was also initially going to establish itself in Moerdijk, but the oil crisis ensured that this ultimately did not happen.
Quick growth
After a time dominated by two oil crises and difficult economic conditions the port and industrial estate subsequently grew rapidly.
More than half a century after the sand excavation, there is a flourishing harbor on the Hollandsch Diep; the fourth seaport of national importance and second container port in the Netherlands with a strong industrial character that has also grown into an important multimodal European hub for logistics.
2017: Incorporation into a company
In 2017, the Moerdijk Port Authority became independent and was incorporated into a company. The brand name 'Port of Moerdijk' to both designate the port and industrial area and the company was also put into use at that time.