Port of Gothenburg’s campaign for a cleaner marine and air environment
Fifteen vessels, including tankers, have already signed up to the Port of Gothenburg’s campaign for a cleaner marine and air environment.
The vessels are operated by TransAtlantic, Stena Oil, Tärntank and Topoil.
Vessels opting use cleaner fuel while in Gothenburg port’s waters will receive financial compensation. In addition, those vessels, which are classified as green according to an international index, will also be compensated.
For several years, the Port of Gothenburg has levied a surcharge on vessels where the sulphur content of the fuel is higher than 0.5%.
Following consultation with the Gothenburg Shipbrokers’ Association, the port decided in the spring that revenue from the environmentally differentiated port charge will be reinvested in those shipping lines that have switched to clean fuels (maximum 0.1% sulphur content).
Other environmental initiatives are also rewarded. This campaign will be run throughout 2011 and 2012.
To date, 11 vessels have applied for compensation in return for running on fuel containing a maximum of 0.1% sulphur. Six vessels are operated by Stena Oil and five by Topoil. These are bunker tankers, which operate regularly within the port’s confines.
Carl Johan von Sydow, project manager sales and logistics at Topoil, said: “Collaboration with the Port of Gothenburg is a natural progression in our environmental programme. We are firmly convinced that an active environmental strategy will drive development forward and will prove profitable for both the environment and for companies.”
As part of the campaign, the first 20 ‘green vessels’ that arrive this year will share a pot of SEK600,000. The term ‘green’ means that the vessel is classified as offering ‘good environmental performance’ according to the international Clean Shipping Index. Thus far, TransAtlantic has put forward three vessels and Tärntank one tanker.
There is still an opportunity for more shipping lines to participate in the environmental campaign, both with regard to rewards for cleaner fuel and compensation for green vessels, the port said.
Source: Tanker Operator