EMEA News
Port of Rotterdam Highlights Push Toward Cleaner Shipping
The Port of Rotterdam Authority today highlighted the port's green discount programme, which is intended to help mitigate climate change and ensure Rotterdam's economic strength after 2050.
"We aim to play a pioneering role and transform the port into a notable example in the global energy transition," said Allard Castelein, Port of Rotterdam Authority President and CEO.
"Companies will play a leading role in this. We aim to facilitate them as far as possible to use methods that reduce CO2 and/or introduce new, climate-neutral operating procedures."
In 2016, the port issued nearly €3 million ($3.52 million) in discounts to vessels with high scores under the Environmental Ship Index (ESI).
Rotterdam offers a 10 percent discount on the gross tonnage portion of the port fees to ocean-going vessels (OGV) with an ESI score of 31 points or more, doubling the discount if the vessel also has a good score on the ESI-NOx index.
Oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), or product tankers with a load capacity of 20,000 tonnes or more are eligible to receive an additional 6 percent discount if they hold a Green Award certification.
For inland shipping, discounts can increase to 30 percent, depending on whether the vessel has a Green Award certificate and if the propulsion engine performance meets CCR2 emission requirements.
Meanwhile, inland vessels that do not satisfy CCR2 emission standards receive a 10 percent surcharge on harbour fees.
"The Port Authority transfers all income from this to the Expertise and Innovation Centre Inland Shipping (EICB), thus making further contributions to the greening of inland shipping via this route," notes the authority.
In April, Ship & Bunker reported that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Port of Rotterdam Authority, aimed at optimising efficiency in the maritime and port sectors.
