The vessels which will take part in the CLINSH project (CLean INland SHipping) have been announced at a launch meeting hosted by the Port of Antwerp on 27 October. Their emissions will be closely monitored during the two-year project, part of the European Union’s LIFE programme.
Namely, the vessels will test various emissions-reducing technologies including the use of alternative fuels. The data collected will provide important information about their environmental performance and the operating costs.
The vessels taking part in the project were selected by means of a European tender and they are categorized in two groups:
- Vessels which are to be fitted with an emissions control system for the purposes of the project. The technologies to be tested include SCR-DPF (Selective Catalytic Reduction in combination with a Diesel Particulate Filter), Fuel Water Emulsion technology and hybrid power installations. Some vessels will be adapted to run on an alternative fuel such as Liquefied Natural Gas or Gas to Liquid Fuel,
- Vessels in which such measures have already been applied.
The trials will start in the beginning of 2018, after all the necessary modifications have been made. Data collected during regular operations will provide useful information for the sector itself and for public sector authorities at all levels.
CLINSH will also reveal the economic consequences for the operators, presenting the business case for sustainability measures.
The operators who will participate in CLINSH will gain valuable knowledge, as well as benefits, as an improved environmental performance is likely to increase an operator’s market appeal. In fact, several large companies have already decided to award contracts to operators who are able to demonstrate their environmental responsibility.
Rik Janssen, member of the Provincial Executive of Zuid-Holland, which is the lead partner in the CLINSH project, noted: “To remain competitive, the sector must invest in cleaner vessels. We need people to lead the way, and we have found them in the operators taking part in the practical trials. The knowledge they develop will allow us to make an important contribution to a cleaner living environment”
The inland shipping sector carries cargo from all over Europe, becoming that way an internal part of the maritime ports. Thus, it is crucial to reduce its harmful emission, in order to enable a faster transition, Marc Van Peel, President of the Antwerp Port Authority, said.
The CLINSH project The purpose of the CLINSH project is to create a sustainable inland shipping sector, which will have reduced dangerous emissions. CLINSH (CLean INland SHipping) is a demonstration project which will assess the effectiveness of emissions control technology, alternative fuels and shoreside power systems. It was officially inaugurated on 1 September 2016. Seventeen project partners have committed to investments totalling over €8.5 million, with co-financing provided by the European Union’s LIFE programme. The various project activities are designed to increase the long-term sustainability of the inland shipping sector.
