Dutch port supports clean air project

Heerema Marine Contractors, Eneco, Port of Rotterdam Authority, and the Municipality of Rotterdam will work together on the project, which will see Heerema Marine Contractors provide its crane vessels with clean energy. Heerema’s crane vessels are often moored in the Calandkanaal in Rotterdam and Eneco will supply power from the wind farm on Landtong Rozenburg.

“By switching off the diesel generators, total emissions will be reduced by the equivalent of the annual emissions of approximately 5,000 diesel cars,” the partners believe.

‘e-house’ construction

To supply the power, an “e-house” of 16m by 9m will be built on Landtong Rozenburg together with several transformers. Eneco and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have set themselves the goal of providing vessels, in addition to those of Heerema, with shore power at other locations in the vicinity.

To get the project off the ground, the Municipality of Rotterdam has reserved a subsidy of €2m in its 2020 budget, provided that the e-house on Landtong Rozenburg is properly integrated into its surroundings in consultation with local residents.

It is not very common internationally that these types of large vessels are connected to shore power, said the partners. What makes the project truly unique is the direct supply of wind turbine power to these nearby seagoing vessels.

Shore power company

Eneco (80%) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority (20%) are now establishing the ‘Rotterdam Shore Power B.V.’ with Heerema as their first customer.

In addition to supplying Heerema, this new company wants to supply shore-based power to several companies in the area. Discussions on this are ongoing. Other nearby terminals can be supplied with shore power from the e-house on Landtong Rozenburg.