BUCHAREST From 2 till 10 April 2009 two ships of the Dutch Navy, the HNLMS Johan de Witt, which was built in Romania, and the HNLMS Rotterdam, will be present in the Port of Constanta for a fleet visit. The two ships will participate in a bilateral Romanian Netherlands military exercise, ‘Cooperative Lion 2009’. Throughout the week various economic and commercial related activities will take place on the ships and in the Passengers Terminal of the harbour. One of the activities, the “Main-Port Development Conference”, will be opened by President Basescu. The Dutch Minister of Defence and vice-Minister for Transport, Public Works and Water Management will visit Constanta and will meet with Romanian counterparts.

Defence and military cooperation
On the occasion of the fleet visit and the military exercise ‘Cooperative Lion 2009’ the Dutch Minister of Defence Mr. Eimert van Middelkoop, will be in Constanta for an official bilateral visit. Minister van Middelkoop will have consultations with his Romanian counterpart, Mr. Mihai Stanisoara, with whom he will also attend part of the bilateral military exercise. The exercise will entail a simulation of a terroristic attack in the Delta region. The purpose of the exercise will be to evaluate the collaboration and communication between all involved institutions during such an event.

Economy and water management
During the fleet visit there will also be various commercial activities in Constanta and Bucharest. From 7 to 9 April, the Dutch vice-Minister for Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Mrs. Tineke Huizinga, will be visiting both cities. The objective of her visit is to further promote the Dutch – Romanian bilateral cooperation in two strategic areas: water management and logistics & infrastructure. On 8 April in Bucharest Vice-Minister Huizinga will open a seminar between Dutch and the Romanian authorities from the water sector.

Constanta-Rotterdam Corridor
In addition, on 9 April on board of the HNLMS Johan de Witt, President Basescu and Vice-minister Huizinga will address the “Main-Port Development Conference- Bridging the Continental Logistics Corridor Constanta – Rotterdam”.  The development of ports and hinterland connections into Central Europe and beyond will represent the main theme of the conference, which will emphasise all aspects related to the development of the continental logistics corridor between Constanta and Rotterdam. Representatives of the Port of Rotterdam will take the opportunity to consult with their Constanta counterparts about possible future cooperation. Under the name “European Gateways Platform”, Dutch government  and businesses will cooperate with their Romanian counterparts on a strategic level with the aim to develop Romania’s logistics and infrastructural sector and to further develop the business opportunities that will arise from the investments involved. The first step in the process is the trade mission from 5 to 9 April in which Dutch companies active in logistics and infrastructure will visit Romania.

The opportunity offered by the visit of the two high level officials from the Netherlands and the presence of the two ships of the Dutch Navy in Constanta will be taken by Ahoy Rotterdam to organise from 7 to 9 April the Naval & Maritime Exhibition Romania in the passenger terminal in the port of Constanta.

And more
In addition to the military, economic and commercial activities, 255 schoolchildren of Constanta have been invited by the Dutch Navy to visit the ships on 6 April. Furthermore, the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the Romanian Navy Brass Band will perform two free open-air concerts in Constanta on 8 and 9 April 2009.

(persbericht Nederlandse ambassade Boekarest)