Degassing while sailing by inland tankers is prohibited throughout the Netherlands. For this reason, it is important that there are sufficient safe and environmentally responsible alternatives for degassing.
Under this light, the Netherlands is making 250,000 euros available to test mobile degassing installations.
Ships must be able to dispose of their cargo spaces in an environmentally friendly manner of vapors that remain after a ship has unloaded its liquid cargo.
So-called ‘degassing’ still often takes place while sailing. With degassing, the cargo vapors still present in a tanker are blown out of the ship’s hold, so that other substances can then be transported.
Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen attended a trial with a mobile degassing installation in the Seinehaven and commented:
I think it is important that there are quick alternatives to degassing while sailing. It is bad for the crew and local residents, but it is also not good for the environment. We need to find out more quickly about the best way to do this and these trials will help with that
