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A warm invitation to DelfSail 2009
In the morning of 22nd August 2009 a magnificent scène will unfold at the Ems estuary in the Northern part of the Netherlands. An impressive fleet of Tall Ships, square riggers, traditional sailing vessels, yachts and steamships from all over the world approaches the port of Delfzijl. Sailing ships are under full sail in the wide estuary, a picture postcard of times past!
While crowds are waiting alongside the canal and at the quaside, the majority of the crews greet them with a song, while standing at the rigging. This 5th edition of DelfSail in 2009 promises a fleet, even bigger and more varied than ever before! The crewmembers know where they are going, to the friendliest port in the Netherlands with the big heart, where ships will be moored adjacent to the citycentre.
For the crews longing to see the big cities of Groningen and Amsterdam, daily busschedules are organised. Official receptions, culture and sports are high on the agenda, offering something special for all. Once being a part of this family means you will always return to the port of Delfzijl sooner or later. You are very welcome indeed!
Meet us at DelfSail 2009, Delfzijl, the Netherlands
22 - 26 August 2009
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Delfzijl: History
The municipality of Delfzijl is located in the north of the country and is one of 450 municipalities in The Netherlands. The municipality originates from the beginning of 1990, when three municipalities - Bierum, Termunten and Delfzijl were fused.
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The new municipality consist of the harbour town Delfzijl and 13 villages to the north and south of it. Delfzijl occupies an area of 227 square kilometres, it has almost 28.000 inhabitants and 12.437 households. About 19.000 people live in the town and 9.000 in the surrounding villages. The town Delfzijl lies more or less central in the area. To the north one finds an old seashore landscape with dikes and mounds and with beautiful churches from the 12th century and onwards. To the south the landscape slowly changes in a more moorish landscape.
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The harbour town of Delfzijl has a long history. Around 1200 three locks were built on the spot where Delfzijl is located today. From the start the locks formed a strategic location (control of the inland water level and control of the sea traffic on the Eems). Not surprisingly Delfzijl became a fortress. During the centuries military, from Alva, Napoleon and German princes valued the Delfzijl as a hotspot. Right from the start Delfzijl as value as a harbour was also recognized and harbour and shipping activities developed soon after the locks were built.
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The military value of the fortress lessened at the end of the 19th century and the fortress was dismantled. In the beginning of the 20th century Delfzijl became more important as a transhipment harbour of goods, which were brought by (sailing) tallships and taken by smaller ships towards Groningen-city and other places. Along with the trade a shipbuilding industry developed which is still alive today. Delfzijl was at the beginning of the 20th century a small but busy harbour town and it stayed that way untill the Second World War (1939-1945).
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In the 50ties and 60ties of the last century new opportunities for Delfzijl came along. In those days salt and gas where found in the province of Groningen and a new future for Delfzijl came into sight. Salt could be used as base-chemical for various industries and gas meant the guarantee of cheap and abundant energy. The chemical industry in Delfzijl is nowadays concentrated around chlorine production and represents 30 % of the chemical industry in the Netherlands. The cheap energy gave metal industries like Aluminium Delfzijl great opportunities.
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