EMEA News
Rotterdam Announces New LNG Bunker Incentive
The Port of Rotterdam Authority (PRA) Tuesday announced an additional incentive programme that will provide seagoing vessels that bunker liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Rotterdam with a 10 percent discount on gross seaport dues.
"LNG is the cleanest fossil fuel. Encouraging the use of this fuel is in keeping with the Port Authority's aim to make Rotterdam's port the most sustainable in its class," said the PRA in a statement.
The PRA says it has reserved €1.5 million ($1.63 million) to support the incentive, which is set to run until 2020.
"The Port Authority's intention is to encourage the bunkering of LNG at the port and thereby support the shipping sector and parties like Shell and Gate, which explicitly promote the use of LNG," said the PRA.
Allard Castelein, the PRA's CEO, is said to have announced the additional incentive programme on December 15, during the second day of the LNG Masterplan final event.
Earlier this month, Shell announced that Korea's STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (STX) had commenced the construction of Shell's "innovative" LNG bunkering, noting that Containerships Ltd Oy (Containerships) is set to become the first customer of the specialised LNG bunker vessel upon its mid-2017 launch in Rotterdam.
In November, the PRA announced that its discount programme for "clean ships", known as the Enivornmental Ship Index (ESI), would be renewed.
