On October 1st Heineken has taken another step towards a sustainable supply chain. Near one of the main Heineken Breweries in Zoetermeer lies the brand new barge terminal Alpherium in Alphen aan de Rijn. Heineken is it’s launching customer. The Alpherium is the largest inland container terminal of the Netherlands.
Heineken and the Van Uden Group, which operates the terminal, have worked with the Province South-Holland, the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, ProRail and the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn to develop the area of Steekterpoort aan de Gouwe, South of Alphen aan den Rijn. It took 15 years, just for the construction to start.
The Alpherium has a maximum capacity of 120.000 containers, of which Heineken will use about 75%. Heineken will transport two-thirds of its export beer through the new terminal to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.
A Barge is three times more energy-efficient than a truck and also important: it will lighten the load on the congesting Dutch road network.
Jean-François van Boxmeer, CEO Heineken International, comments: “To start from tomorrow, about 6 million truck kilometres will be lifted from the Dutch motorways, amounting to a total CO2 emission reduction of 35%. This represents a considerable contribution to the sustainability of our logistical chain.”
