| Paardenbaai | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Paardenbaai (2004) | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Location | |
| Country | Aruba |
| Location | Oranjestad, Aruba |
| Coordinates | 12°31′11″N70°02′32″W / 12.51980°N 70.04225°W |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1796 [1] |
| Operated by | Aruba Ports Authority [2] |
| No. of berths | 5 [2] |
Paardenbaai (English: Bay of Horses) or Port of Oranjestad is the main seaport for passengers in Aruba. It is located in Oranjestad and has existed since 1796. [1]
In 1796, Fort Zoutman was constructed near Paardenbaai. It was a natural bay which was accessible to large ships. It was the second harbour on Aruba after Commandeurs Baai (Commander's Bay) in Savaneta. [3] The bay later became known as Paardenbaai (Bay of Horses) because the harbour was mainly used to ship horses to Jamaica and other places. The village near the harbour had no name and was often referred to as Paardenbaai. In 1820, it was named Oranjestad. [4]
In the 1920s, a part of the harbour was reclaimed to extend the city of Oranjestad. [5] With this, the harbour is now partially located in Taratata. [6] [7] In 1928, Arend Petroleum Maatschappij, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, opened an oil refinery near the harbour. [8] A wharf at the Taratata was used for the refinery, [9] [10] but turned out to be too small, therefore, a 420 metre long pier was constructed near Druif Beach. 8 kilometres of railway lines were laid to link the facilities. On February 16, 1942 there was also a World War II Attack on Aruba at this location. In 1953, Paardenbaai was expanded again with two large basins [11] and completely used the Taratata grounds. The refinery closed in 1958. In 1974, the pier and the refinery were demolished and replaced by a tourist resort with a large beach. Eagle Beach is nowadays one of the busiest beaches of the island. [12]
The harbour was large enough, however it used to be shared by cargo and cruise ships which often caused problems. [13] It was decided to move cargo to Barcadera. The first priority was to move the container terminal. Work began in 2011, and the move was completed in 2015. [14] In 2016, Barcadera was officially opened, and Paardenbaai became a harbour for passengers only. [13]
Paardenbaai has five berths and is open all day and night. [2] The tram of Oranjestad has a terminal at Port of Call which is located near the harbour. [15]
Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the southern Caribbean Sea. Aruba is located approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Curaçao.
Transport in Aruba is facilitated by road, air, and rail. Aruba features a well-established road network, with the majority of the roads being paved. However, as one ventures towards the interior of the island, the prevalence of paved roads decreases, giving way to more rugged terrain. Conversely, coastal areas typically offer-well maintained paved roads. Aruba's road network covers a total distance of about 998 kilometres (620 mi), with 361 kilometres (220 mi) remaining unpaved.
The economy of Aruba is an open system, with tourism currently providing the largest percentage of the country's income. Because of tourism's rapid growth in the last 80 years, related industries like construction have also flourished in Aruba. Other primary industries include oil refining and storage, as well as offshore banking. Despite the island's low rainfall in the past year, the people have proven that Aruba's soil is full of nutrients and many crops do amazingly well in the soil. Many more locals have started participating more to horticulture, permaculture and agriculture. Creating a start to an internal economy. Aloe cultivation, livestock, and fishing also contribute to Aruba's economy. In addition, the country also exports art and collectibles, machinery, electrical equipment, and transport equipment. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to many unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to that entity's dissolution in 2010. The historic centre of the city consists of four quarters: the Punda and Otrobanda, which are separated by the Sint Anna Bay, an inlet that leads into the large natural harbour called the Schottegat, as well as the Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal quarters, which are across from each other on the smaller Waaigat harbour. Willemstad is home to the Curaçao synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city centre, with its unique architecture and harbour entry, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Oranjestad, the capital and most populous of Aruba's eight regions, is located on the southwestern coast of the island. In Papiamento, the local language, Oranjestad is commonly referred to as "Playa" by the locals.
Oranjestad is a small town of 1,038 inhabitants; it is the capital and largest town of the island of Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands. It's not to be confused with the far larger Oranjestad in Aruba.
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world. Before Confederation it was one of the most important commercial ports on the Atlantic seaboard. In 1917, it was the site of the world's largest man-made accidental explosion, when the SS Mont-Blanc blew up in the Halifax Explosion on December 6.
San Nicolaas is 19 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Oranjestad, and is Aruba's second largest city. As of 2010 it has a population of 15,283, most of whom originate from the British Caribbean and rest of the Caribbean.
The Port of Cape Town, South Africa, is situated in Table Bay.
Seroe Colorado is a village situated at the southeastern tip of Aruba, an island located in the Dutch Caribbean. Nowadays, it is known for the Anchor in Memory to All Seamen. Historically, between 1878 and 1914, Seroe Colorado served as the location for the Colorado Guano Mine, which was involved in the extraction of guano. Additionally, the Seroe Colorado Lighthouse can be found in this village, serving as a prominent landmark.
The attack on Aruba was an attack on oil installations and tankers by Axis submarines during World War II. On 16 February 1942, a German U-boat attacked the small Dutch island of Aruba. Other submarines patrolled the area for shipping and they sank or damaged tankers. Aruba was home to two of the largest oil refineries in the world during the war against the Axis powers, the Arend Petroleum Company, situated near the Oranjestad harbor, and the Lago Oil and Transport Company at the San Nicolas harbor. The attack resulted in the disruption of vital Allied fuel production.
Operation Neuland was the German Navy's code name for the extension of unrestricted submarine warfare into the Caribbean Sea during World War II. U-boats demonstrated range to disrupt United Kingdom petroleum supplies and United States aluminum supplies which had not been anticipated by Allied pre-war planning. Although the area remained vulnerable to submarines for several months, U-boats never again enjoyed the opportunities for success resulting from the surprise achieved by the submarines participating in this operation.
Pietermaai is a neighbourhood and former suburb of Willemstad, on Curaçao, a Lesser Antilles island in the Dutch Caribbean. Pietermaai was founded in 1675, and has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Spaanse Water is a town on the island of Curaçao. It contains the tourist resort Nieuwpoort, the village of Santa Barbara, and the Tafelberg. Spaanse Water is a natural harbour and lagoon located to the east of Willemstad. The lagoon contains several bays and little islands.
Rancho, located near Paardenbaai, is one of the old districts of Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba. Originally a fishing village, Rancho has evolved into a neighbourhood of Oranjestad. In the late 20th century, it was annexed by Oranjestad, becoming a part of the city while still retaining its distinct character. The district is known for its monuments and intangible cultural heritage
The Protestant Church is a church of the Dutch Reformed and Lutheran community in Oranjestad, Aruba. The church is not an official member of any international church organisation. The old church dates from 1846. In 1950, a new church was constructed next to the old church. The old church is the second oldest building of Oranjestad which still exists after Fort Zoutman.
Barcadera is the main seaport for cargo ships in Aruba. It is located in Barcadera, district Santa Cruz and was officially opened on 12 April 2016.
Jules Sedney Harbour is the main seaport for cargo ships in Paramaribo, Suriname. Until 2016, the harbour was called Nieuwe Haven. It is one of the two main cargo ports of Suriname. The other being Nieuw-Nickerie. Paramaribo used to have a generic harbour at Waterkant. In 1965, Nieuwe Haven opened as a specialised cargo harbour.
The Arend Petroleum Company Ltd. was originally established in 1927 as "Compania Mexicana de Petrol el Aquila" on the island of Aruba. However, it underwent a name change and became more commonly known as "Arend" or "Eagle". The Arend was a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. The government generously granted a broad coastal strip at Druif Beach of approximately 5 kilometres in length.
The Marine Park Aruba are marine protected areas (MPAs) situated around the island of Aruba. This nature reserve was established on December 21, 2018 and brought under the management of Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba on April 16, 2019.
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