Port of Rotterdam has pledged to offer a substantial port fee reduction for ships that bunker sustainable fuels in Rotterdam, supporting the recently announced Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) and recognizing front runners in the road to maritime decarbonization.

Boudewijn Siemons, COO and CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, “It is vital that the shipping industry makes the switch to zero-emission fuels. The ZEMBA consortium has launched a fantastic initiative with a willingness to pay carriers a premium for the use of zero-emission fuels, which are still more expensive than traditional fuels. With the additional support from our side we want to give carriers a maximum incentive to make this switch.”

ZEMBA, an initiative of coZEV, recently launched a request for proposals for the transport of 600,000 twenty-foot containers (TEU) on ocean-going container vessels powered by zero-emissions fuels.

To support this, and as part of its ongoing efforts to enable and accelerate the transition to zero-emission shipping, the Port of Rotterdam offers a port fee reduction for these large container vessels when bunkering sustainable fuels in Rotterdam, which can run up to €500.000 in total.

To qualify, a ship has to bunker alternative fuels in Rotterdam with at least 90 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases, such as green methanol or ammonia. The Port of Rotterdam Authority has also determined that the discount does not apply to bio-blended fuel oil, marine gas oil, or marine diesel oil, as that market is already mature in Rotterdam.

The Port Rotterdam already extends discounts to more sustainable vessels that score high on the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). In 2022, the port launched a Green & Digital Corridor project together with the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, which also offers discounts for carriers using sustainable fuels. This means ships using sustainable fuels on the Singapore-Rotterdam trade lane can benefit from financial incentives from both ports as well as ZEMBA.