10.11.09Major Dutch Ports Set to Reward Clean Ships

As of 1 January 2011, the Dutch ports of Amsterdam, Moerdijk, Dordrecht and Rotterdam will be rewarding clean ocean-going vessels with discounts on their port dues. This involves vessels which score well on the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). This is a new international standard for ships' emissions into the atmosphere. Ships which perform better than the legal norm will be rewarded.

The ESI is a certificate that will be awarded by the World Port Climate Initiative, at the request of the ship, from January 1, 2011 onwards. The ESI was designed by the ports of Le Havre, Bremen, Hamburg, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The index shows the environmental performance of ships in terms of the emission of air pollutants (NOx and SOx) and CO2. Ports and other nautical service providers throughout the world can use the index to reward ships and, in this way, encourage sustainable behavior in the shipping industry.