It pays to be greener

This new incentive, commencing from January 2015, is consistent with Amsterdam’s membership of the Green Award programme and its sustained efforts to reduce its impact on the environment and promote cleaner air, water and soil.

Amsterdam port said it will reward a 5% discount to bronze award members of the scheme, 10% for silver vessels and 15% for gold vessels, meaning that the amount of discount received by the vessel operator is directly proportional to the vessel’s environmental performance.

For Amsterdam, the changes will coincide with the port assuming the administration of inland harbour dues for professional navigation in Amsterdam harbour waters. The dues were previously administered by the Waternet water company.

This change will apply to all commercial barges mooring in Amsterdam harbour waters. Commercial barges include cargo ships, commercial passenger ships such as river cruise ships and professional vessels such as tugboats and floating cranes.

A total of 541 inland barges have been certified under the Green Award scheme to date and 15 ports in the Netherlands and Belgium currently provide discounts on inland harbour dues.

The Green Award programme for Inland Navigation was created to promote safer and cleaner inland navigation and advocates an integrated approach for European inland waterways. It is based on the environmental quality programme of the same name for sea shipping.