Rotterdam's new oesophagus In the 19th century, the port of Rotterdam faced an increasing problem regarding accessibility as ships increased in size. Engineer Pieter Caland develops an audacious plan: create the shortest possible connection through the Hook of Holland and construct a dam at the confluence of the Old and New Maas rivers. The natural tide would 'automatically' scour the new shipping lane deeper and deeper, reducing the need for frequent dredging. This map proves Caland’s theory correct: between 1882 and 1889, the river widened as its depth reached a minimum of 6.5 metres.
