The Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest freight hub, is responsible for an estimated 600 megatonnes of CO2 a year linked to the fossil fuels that flow through it – many times more than the Netherlands' busiest airport, Schiphol. That scale has made it a test case for whether a port built on fossil fuels can ever truly become green.
Now, environmental group Advocates for the Future has filed a lawsuit arguing that the Port of Rotterdam Authority is not doing enough to phase out fossil-based energy. The group wants a concrete plan to wind down the coal, oil and gas flows whose emissions dwarf those of most countries.
“A lawsuit demands Europe's biggest port, Rotterdam, cut fossil fuel reliance as its emissions dwarf most countries.”
Rotterdam's own industrial cluster currently emits about 29 million tonnes of CO2 annually – roughly half of the Netherlands' domestic emissions, according to Mark van Dijk, head of external relations at the Port Authority. "It's not good," he admits.
The Port Authority has set targets to cut its own direct and purchased energy emissions by 90% between 2019 and 2030. Its plans include developing a hydrogen hub for testing new fuels, investing in onshore power so ships can plug into the grid instead of burning fuel at berth, and supporting alternatives such as LNG, biofuels and methanol. There is also a focus on carbon capture and storage through the Porthos project, which will pipe industrial emissions to depleted gas fields offshore.
But Advocates for the Future director Maikel van Wissen argues that a port of this scale should not just be managing the flow of fossil fuels. "A state-owned enterprise s…" he begins, before the wind cuts him off. He contends that the port has a responsibility to use its clout to speed up the shift to cleaner operations.
Rotterdam handles almost as much cargo as all UK ports combined, making the outcome of this case potentially significant for Britain's trade routes. The question remains whether a port built on fossil fuels can ever truly decarbonise.