From cows to crops:  The Floating Farm sowing seeds for success 

The Floating Farm in Rotterdam Harbour which has produced thousands of gallons of milk since opening in 2019, will soon start harvesting its first crops.

The world’s first floating farm is now turning its attention to vertical farming to meet local demand for highly nutritious microgreens.

The project is supported by Aramco Europe’s citizenship program, which aims to make a positive societal impact in the communities where the company operates.

Circular economy 

The Floating Farm has attracted visitors from all over the world since it first opened six years ago, bringing circular farming to the city centre.  

Working with local supermarkets, bakeries and golf courses, the farm uses waste grass and grains as feedstock for the cows and sells the milk and cheese to the local community, reducing unnecessary truck journeys.

Now founders Peter and Minke Wingerden are turning their attention to crop cultivation – specifically microgreens which are in high demand among local restaurants. 

They aim to produce almost 10,000 kilos of herbs and lettuce from the facility annually. 

“Building underneath the waterline is utilising a completely new space that has not been used before and we are so excited to be producing microgreens, leaves and herbs,” says Floating Farm Partner Peter Wingerden.  “Everyone has the right to have healthy food.” 

Resilience 

The inspiration for the Floating Farm came from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when New York was plunged into chaos and the food supply chain struggled to cope with the massive disruption caused by flooding as trucks were unable to enter many parts of the city. 

That led Minke and Peter to think about how the resilience of major cities was being threatened by long food supply chains and so the idea of the Floating Farm was born. 

The founders believe that localization of food production is key to making our cities more resilient and better able to cope with external shocks. 

As part of its broader citizenship activities, Aramco Europe collaborates with partners on circular economy initiatives. In 2024, the company implemented more than 300 circular economy initiatives across all business areas.