While the voting procedure for the 2019 GREEN4SEA Awards is open, Mr. Henri van der Weide, Advisor Harbour Master Department, Port of Amsterdam, highlights that all stakeholders need to work together toward a more sustainable future for the maritime industry and refers to port’s strategic actions for these couple years.
SAFETY4SEA: Your organization has been shortlisted for the 2019 GREEN4SEA Awards in the ‘Port’ category alongside a number of other distinguished nominees. What would you like to share with industry’s stakeholders with respect to this development?
Henri van der Weide: According to the Port of Amsterdam we think it is vital that ports and the whole maritime industry share best sustainable practices among each other and take the whole industry steps forward by doing this.
S4S: What are currently your top 3 priorities in relation to Sustainable Shipping?
H.W.: In our Clean Shipping Vision we have listed our strategic actions till 2021;
1/ top priorities are facilitating our clients with LNG-bunker possibilities (operational 1 April 2019)
2/ improve and enlarge OPS facilities for rivercruise vessels;
3/ reduce the sea cruise at berth emissions
S4S: If you could change one thing about the shipping industry, what would it be and why?
H.W.: Build ships in such a way that new technologies can be put in place more easily (retrofits), as ships are built for 30 years and it is very hard to install more sustainable equipment on an existing ship.
S4S: What is your key message to the industry for a more sustainable future of shipping?
H.W.: Stakeholders, work together, as this is key to have a future as a maritime industry.
You may cast your vote for the Port of Amsterdam at 2019 GREEN4SEA Awards dedicated webpage till 22nd of February 2019!
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.