Aruba Ports Authority and Port of Amsterdam sign multi-year agreement

Start of intensive long-term partnership

Aruba Ports Authority and Port of Amsterdam International entered into a multi-year partnership agreement today. In signing the agreement, the new partners are committing to a close long-term alliance with a focus on jointly implementing APA’s strategy and vision, converting a large port site in Oranjestad into a mixed-use area and strengthening each other’s international ambitions.

The state-owned Aruba Ports Authority N.V. (APA) is in charge of managing, developing and operating the Aruban port system. APA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Port of Amsterdam International B.V. (PoAI) in March 2015. A subsidiary of Havenbedrijf Amsterdam N.V., PoAI specialises in developing and managing international port and cruise terminals. The new partnership agreement comes in the wake of a survey conducted by PoAI into the commercial strategy, growth opportunities, strategy and commercial strength of APA. As part of the agreement PoAI will supply a Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), who will be joining the APA Board of Directors. The CCO will be backed by an
Amsterdam-based multidisciplinary team and others.

Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen, Managing Director of PoAI: “This partnership will enable our two port companies to strengthen each other in a variety of areas, which is right in line with Port of Amsterdam’s international strategy. We look forward to continuing our excellent partnership with APA and the Aruban government.”

Louis Posner, Chairman of the APA Board of Supervisory Directors: “During the preliminary process we learned that PoAI and APA have the same vision for Aruba and how we intend to develop our partnership. This agreement is a fine example of how Aruba and the Netherlands can truly reinforce each other.”

Port of Partnerships

The port site will be converted with the intention of repurposing the area and opening it up to the Aruban public. The repurposed area will combine urban public space with recreational, tourism and business activities as part of a sustainable urban development. The project gives Port of Amsterdam the opportunity to use its experience in managing these types of projects on its own territory in the Dutch Caribbean. In addition, Aruba also serves as an excellent hub for Port of Amsterdam in terms of building and maintaining relationships with key partners in Latin America. The partnership agreement is consistent with the Port’s ‘Port of Partnerships’ philosophy, with its aim of building inspiring, close alliances with complementary partners and with Aruba’s plan to serve as a gateway between Dutch companies and Latin America.