Fuel Transition Roadmap launched for Dutch shipping
On Thursday 24 October, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) officially presented the Fuel Transition Roadmap for the shipping industry. Last year, together with 150 parties, a map was drawn up of how to work towards climate-neutral shipping based on a number of scenarios.
The goal is to get to a climate-neutral shipping industry in 2050. The Netherlands wants to be an international frontrunner in this. To realise the ambition, the entire chain must work together. On Thursday, plans were presented that various sectors have been working on. The Roadmap process involved cooperation across the chain – including ports, shippers and financiers – and with knowledge institutions and the central government.
‘With this roadmap, 150 companies and governments are jointly setting the course towards clean and sustainable ocean shipping,’ says Maurice Luijten of the RVO. ‘This roadmap shows what is possible and what actions are needed.’
Scaling up availabiltiy of new fuels
‘The presentation of this roadmap is an important step in making the maritime sector more sustainable,’ says Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) director Annet Koster. ‘Indeed, the roadmap should help in the successful rollout of sustainable maritime fuels.’
She adds: ‘Scaling up the availability of these new, green fuels is simply not happening fast enough at this point. It is further complicated by the fact that there are multiple golden eggs. In other words, not one obvious choice. Moreover, this roadmap should help in overcoming that chicken and egg problem between supply and demand by fuel type.’
Luijten: ‘To get production up and running in time, a market of supply and demand has to be created at a rapid pace. And time is limited. Because regulatory requirements are rapidly tightening from 2030 onwards.’
Sector Agenda
Maritime manufacturing industry envoy on behalf of the government Kees van der Staaij: ‘This roadmap is important for our safety, independence and prosperity as a water-rich nation on the North Sea. Together with the implementation of the measures from the Maritime Manufacturing Industry Sector Agenda ‘No guts, no Hollands Glorie!’, we are thus contributing to ensuring that our maritime sector not only has a glorious past, but also a golden future for the sake of our country.’
Luijten adds: ‘It is important to work together from the roadmap, the Sector Agenda and similar initiatives in the fuel chain to make shipping more sustainable as efficiently and effectively as possible.’
About the Roadmap
RVO started the roadmap in 2022 on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. During more than 20 physical meetings in working groups, more than 150 parties came together to exchange views on the shipping challenge. In addition, several one-on-one discussions took place. Ultimately, the results of these meetings were compiled in the Roadmap.
Source: SWZ Maritime