The Port of Rotterdam is pursuing an ambitious strategy to
develop shore power to achieve the goal of becoming a zero emission port in
2050. While the port supports the European Commission’s aim to become the first
climate-neutral continent by 2050, the port is also calling for a tailored
approach instead of top-down regulations to meet the climate goals.
According to the port’s calculations, CO2 emissions at sea
represent 87 percent of all emissions of logistics chains via Rotterdam while
inland transport is 11 percent and the emissions of berthed ships is just two
percent of the total emissions. Yet they recognize the reduction of emissions
in the port is important, especially to improve the living environment in
surrounding residential areas, as well as contributing to the overall environmental
goals.
Together with the Municipality of Rotterdam, the port
authority has embarked on an ambitious strategy to realize 8 to 10 new shore
power installations in the next five years. Their goal is to learn from these
installations and then speed up the uptake of shore power in the second part of
this decade. According to the Port of Rotterdam, “This approach is a
consequence of the fact that, despite the positive results of shore power,
fundamental uncertainties for market parties still exist and the technical
potential of shore power for the shipping industry is still being developed.”
These new shore power facilities will be in addition to
Rotterdam’s current projects. All moorings for inland vessels in the port, as
well as for the Stena Line Hoek van Holland ferry terminal, already have a
shore power connection. Also, development is underway for Europe’s largest
green shore power connection to supply offshore crane vessels on the
Calandkanaal with onshore wind power. Once completed, it will ensure that
berthed vessels no longer emit nitrogen and particulate matter to the
environment while also result in reduces noise levels from the operations.
Rotterdam’s goal is to supply 90 percent of the ships
visiting the public quays in the urban area with shore power by 2030. For
roll-on/roll-off, ferries, offshore vessels and cruise ships, the port wants to
supply 90 percent of the visits with shore power by 2030. For large container
vessels (ULCS: >10,000 TEU nominal capacity) the goal is set at 50 percent.
For more complex shipping segments, such as liquid and dry bulk and areas where
the technical facilities are not yet available, Rotterdam said it will provide
active support in the field of innovation and standardization.
The port authority however is calling on the European
Commission to follow a tailored approach to shore power as opposed to top-down
regulations. Rotterdam believes that it requires having different ambitions for
individual shipping segments and taking into account local circumstances and
costs. “We advocate a value chain approach for the rollout of shore power in
European ports, based on cooperation and stimulation, rather than regulation.”
Rotterdam is also calling for direct project subsidies to
cover the non-profitable top of promising shore power projects. They also
believe that a permanent tax exemption for shore power and zero emission fuels
is needed to create a level playing field with tax exempted fossil fuels.
By fulfilling these conditions, the port authority says,
European policymakers can help deliver zero emission ports, which in turn can
help Europe to achieve climate neutrality in 2050.