The Floating Farm in the Port of Rotterdam has changed direction again: its herd has been moved off the structure, a sale has been called off, and milk now arrives by truck instead of being produced on board.
The project opened in May 2019 as a futuristic attempt to produce food sustainably without the traditional tie to land. Peter and Minke van Wingerden invested €4 million in the platform, which combined on-site feeding, milking, slurry handling and dairy production.
During its operation the farm produced milk and dairy products that local consumers could buy from vending machines on site. The concept drew hundreds of thousands of curious visitors from around the world.
Dispute over a new floor
The farm was recently put up for sale after a disagreement with the local environmental department, which said a newly fitted floor did not comply with regulations. The 28 resident Dutch MRI cows were removed and were to be sold, and milk production was set to stop.
That plan has now been set aside. The farm is not being sold and dairy production is continuing. The cows have been moved to several farms about 20km away.
According to Peter van Wingerden, the farm's modern technology and systems give it the lowest possible emissions, but the rubber floor is German-made and has no certificate of compliance in the Netherlands.
Milk delivered from nearby suppliers
A stainless steel pipeline connects the quay to the farm. A regular dairy truck now brings milk to the platform twice a week, at roughly 1,500 litres per batch, from suppliers around 20km away. Van Wingerden said that distance means a very short transport time.
Growing space below the waterline
The basement of the floating structure houses a vertical salad-growing enterprise. It is a fully controlled, automated growing space arranged in three layers with conveyor belts, combining grow-room and warehouse technology.
- Micro-greens are harvested every two weeks;
- herbs every three weeks;
- leafy greens every four weeks;
- edible flowers every four to five weeks.
The crops are turned into tea, pesto, herb-infused salts and herb-infused whey, alongside the farm's Parmigiano cheese. Because the unit sits below the waterline, it is cooled by the surrounding water. Van Wingerden said the vertical farm is doing well.
Two years left in the port
The farm's time in the port is limited. The whole area is due to become residential, and the Floating Farm will have to leave in just over two years.
"This is not the vision we initially started off with, but we are coping with this system," van Wingerden said.