Port of Antwerp Participates in Clean Shipping Project

Port of Antwerp participates in a Clean Shipping project which aims to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from ships in the North Sea Region.

A new website gathering information on Clean Shipping Technology has been launched recently by the Clean North Sea Shipping (CNSS) project. The website and a corresponding brochure covers both current and future legislation and technology, as well as economic and environmental benefits for the shipping industry and port authorities.

The Antwerp Port Authority aims to improve the air quality in the port of Antwerp. Participating in the European project CNSS is going to aid this objective. The Maritime shipping is estimated to represent around 3% of Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. Due to significant expected growth of international trade, maritime emissions (CO2) are expected to increase by a factor of 2-3 in 2050 if no action is taken.

The CNSS project, including 18 partners from 6 countries, strives to reduce exhaust gas emissions from ships in the North Sea Region. The objective is to improve the environmental and health situation caused by air pollution and greenhouse gases from shipping along the North Sea coast and within North Sea ports and harbours.

CNSS addresses this by creating awareness, sharing knowledge and convincing influential stakeholders to take action. These stakeholders include regional and European politicians, ports, shipping companies and cargo owners.

The new website serves as a guide for existing nearby and long-term technological solutions to reduce carbon dioxides, sulphur- and nitrogen oxides in order to promote the development of a sustainable maritime transport system. The ultimate challenge is to develop and implement zero emission technologies. The website is targeted particularly at port authorities and shipping companies.

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Source: Port of Antwerp, September 29, 2011