The Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest freight hub, is facing a legal challenge that demands it move faster to break its reliance on fossil fuels. The lawsuit, filed by environmental group Advocates for the Future, argues that the port authority is not doing enough to phase out coal, oil and gas flows whose emissions dwarf those of most countries.
Rotterdam handles almost as much cargo as all UK ports combined. Its skyline is dominated by cranes, container stacks and five oil refineries, including Shell's largest in Europe. According to research by CE Delft, the fossil fuels flowing through the port are linked to around 600 megatonnes of CO2 a year — many times the emissions of Schiphol, the Netherlands' biggest airport.
“Environmental group sues Port of Rotterdam over failure to phase out fossil fuels as emissions dwarf most countries.”
“It's not good,” admits Mark van Dijk, head of external relations at the Port of Rotterdam Authority. He says the port's industrial cluster emits about 29 million tonnes of CO2 annually, roughly half of the Netherlands' domestic emissions, and equivalent to tens of thousands of return flights from Amsterdam to Los Angeles.
The port authority has set targets to cut its own direct and purchased energy emissions by 90% between 2019 and 2030. Plans include developing a hydrogen hub, investing in onshore power so ships can plug into the grid, and supporting bunkering of LNG, biofuels and methanol. There is also a carbon capture and storage project, Porthos, that will pipe industrial emissions into depleted gas fields.
But Advocates for the Future director Maikel van Wissen argues that a state-owned enterprise of this scale should not just manage the flow of fossil fuels. “Instead,” he says, “it has a responsibility to use its clout to speed up the shift to cleaner operations.” The lawsuit demands a concrete plan to wind down coal, oil and gas.
As the wind whips through the Hook of Holland, the question remains whether a port built on fossil fuels can truly become green — and whether the courts will force its hand.