The number of ports that reward inland shipping barges holding a Green Award certificate will grow significantly.
During the annual congress of the Dutch Inland Port Association (Nederlandse Vereniging van Binnenhavens (NVB)) on the 5th of October, a letter of intent was signed by the Port of Amsterdam, Municipality of Bergen op Zoom, Municipality of Utrecht, the ports of Limburg and Zeeland Seaports. These parties represented fifteen ports that had made a commitment to reward Green Award certified inland navigation vessels. For the most ports the reward will be in a form of a discount on the port dues, but there are a number of ports that do not charge port dues. These ports will implement a different approach to show their recognition.
Incentive Providers
The new ports will join a group of incentive providers that has been supporting the Green Award certification of inland barges since the launch of the programme in 2011. These loyal supporters were put in the spotlight as well, and a special Green Award board was handed over to representatives of Groningen Seaports, Port of Moerdijk, the Municipality of Meppel and the Ports of Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Zwijndrecht and Papendrecht to show the foundation’s appreciation of their efforts.
Making an Extra Step
Jan Fransen, managing director of the Green Award Foundation, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that more ports are joining the Green Award scheme: 'Incentives for the environmental performance of sea-going vessels and inland barges should not be underestimated today, they are extremely important to motivate ship owners and managers to make an extra step.'
Green Award
Green Award for the inland shipping comes from the Green Award scheme established in 1994 in order to promote quality shipping amongst sea-going vessels. Currently 350 inland barges are certified, and eight ports are providing a discount on the port dues to inland navigation vessels certified by the Green Award Foundation. There are also six banks that compensate a part of the certification costs to their clients that participate in the Green Award scheme. Starting 2013 the fifteen ports will join the ranks of the current Green Award incentive providers.
