North Sea Aims 60GW Offshore Wind by 2050
The wind turbines on the North Sea can now deliver one Gigawatt in Netherlands. 60 Gigawatts should be achievable in 2050, the target for Europe being 450 Gigawatts.This is according to Netherlands Wind Energy Association (NWEA).Hans Timmers, chairman of the NWEA thinks that the Netherlands is facing a huge challenge. A recent report shows that when it comes to generating sustainable energy, the Netherlands is the worst performer of all European countries."In the Netherlands we now have 1 Gigawatt at sea, which should increase to 60 Gigawatt in 2050. Wind energy is the holy grail of sustainability in our country.
Rotterdam Port Explores Option of Geothermal
Research into the geothermal port of Rotterdam is entering the next phase, according to the Port of Rotterdam Authority.Shell Geothermal BV and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are jointly investigating the options for geothermal energy in the western part of the port of Rotterdam. The two companies have received an exploration permit from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.The subsurface has been mapped out thoroughly in recent years as part of the Ultra-Deep Geothermal Energy (UDG) green deal. Obtaining…
LNG Bunkering Takes Off in Rotterdam
The throughput of LNG - liquefied natural gas - as bunker fuel in the Rotterdam bunker port increased considerably from 1,500 to 9,500 tonnes in 2018.Meanwhile, the sale of bunker oil - fuel for shipping - in the bunker port decreased from 9.9 million m3 to 9.5 million m3. The decrease can almost entirely be ascribed to the decline in sales of heavy fuel oil from 8.3 million m3 to 7.9 million m3.The Port of Rotterdam Authority suspects that the decline in bunker volumes in Europe’s largest bunker port is a consequence of the increased scale and use of modern vessels in container shipping.
Slufterdam Doubles Wind Power
Eneco and Vattenfall have completed repowering of the Slufterdam wind farm in the Netherlands, boosting output to 50MW from around 25MW.The 17 existing wind turbines in the farm, which has been supplying renewable energy since 2002, have been replaced by 14 wind turbines that are much more efficient. As a result, the power has nearly doubled from 25.5 MW to 50.4 MW. The 14 wind turbines generate 180 GWh of electricity every year, enough to cover the annual consumption of around 60,000 households.The energy companies started preparations to replace the wind turbines in mid-2017.
Porthos CCUS Project Getting Ready
Port of Rotterdam Authority, Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company Gasunie and Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) are preparing a CCUS (Carbon Capture Usage and Storage) project, in which CO₂ from industry will be transported to storage sites in depleted gas fields deep beneath the North Sea seabed.The three companies are working together on the preparation of this project under the name Porthos: Port of Rotterdam CO₂ Transport Hub & Offshore Storage.The Porthos project is being developed as an open access transport and storage infrastructure which can be used by multiple parties to store CO₂.
Advance Information of Berths in Ports Can Cut Cost and Emission
If seagoing vessels were better informed about the availability of berths and adapted their speed accordingly, substantial savings could be made in terms of fuel and CO2 emissions. This conclusion is based on a study that was recently commissioned by the Port of Rotterdam Authority and research institute TNO.The study pointed out that if sea-going vessels are regularly kept informed – particularly during the last twelve hours before arrival – about exactly when their berth will become available, they…
Rotterdam Offshore Revamps jack-up vessel, Seajacks Scylla
The world’s largest jack-up vessel Seajacks Scylla, has recently visited the Rotterdam Offshore Group (ROG) terminal in the Waalhaven, after her first successful assignment on phase 1 of the Veja Mate Offshore Windpark project. During the vessels stay at the Waalhaven facility, ROG performed an upgrade on the vessels mooring system. ROG worked around the clock to complete the project within strict deadlines and to the highest quality levels required by the vessel owners and to class satisfaction. After the upgrade…
Rotterdam port mull power-to-gas-plant development
Six Rotterdam-based parties will investigate how sustainably generated electricity, converted into hydrogen, can be used in the production of fuels. TNO, Stedin, Smartport, Uniper, BP Refinery Rotterdam and Port of Rotterdam Authority will investigate the technical and economic feasibility of a power-to-gas plant in the Rotterdam port area, as well as the necessary amendments to regulations. The parties above signed a cooperation agreement to this end on 18 January 2017. The construction of wind farms…
First Monopile Loaded at Sif’s Maasvlakte 2 Location
Sif loaded its first monopile on board a seagoing vessel. The ship in question is the Innovation, a heavy-lift jack-up vessel owned by Geosea, part of the Belgian DEME Group. It was also the first job handled at the new section of Maasvlakte 2’s deep-sea quay (port number 8317). Monopiles are used for the foundations of offshore wind turbines. They can weigh up to 1,000 metric tons apiece. All in all, four monopiles will be loaded for transport today. Together with the so-called ‘transition pieces’: connecting sections that are used to join the turbine towers to the monopiles.
Rotterdam Wants an Ambitious CO2 Reduction Plan from IMO
The Port of Rotterdam Authority is calling on the European Parliament to put pressure on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to produce an ambitious worldwide CO2 reduction plan for sea shipping. Given the recent plans, measures could only be expected by 2023 at the earliest. “Far too late. The plans are not challenging enough,” believes Allard Castelein. The CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority issued his call on the eve of the vote on revising the EU ETS directive, in the European Parliament’s Environmental Commission.
Largest Solar Panel System Launched at Port of Rotterdam
Global logistics company Samskip has completed a major environmental protection project through subsidiary frigoCare, installing the largest solar panel system in the port of Rotterdam as part of its Sustainability Strategy. The initiative has been undertaken in partnership with Dutch renewable energy company Zon Exploitatie Nederland (ZEN), working in close cooperation with the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The record-breaking green energy system has been installed on the roof of frigoCare’s 14,000 pallet-capacity cold-store in Rotterdam.
Monopiles Terminal to Be Built in Rotterdam
Sif Group, Verbrugge International and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed an agreement in principle for the construction of a production and storage/handling terminal in Rotterdam. Sif Group and Verbrugge are planning to set up a joint venture to bring the storage and logistics of the foundations, so-called monopiles, under one roof. At the terminal, which covers around 42 hectares, Sif Group will produce steel foundations for offshore wind farms and the oil and gas industry. It is the market leader in the production of monopiles for the offshore wind market in the North Sea.
New Success for Europe in Cleaner Inland Navigation
The increasing use of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as a fuel was given another boost with today’s commissioning of a new type of inland navigation vessel: Sirocco. Owned by Chemgas Barging, this conventional gas tanker is equipped with a main engine capable of running on marine gas oil as well as on the clean LNG. What makes this dual-fuel system unique is that it is positioned below decks in the cargo area, which improves vessel safety. This deployment is part of the ‘LNG Masterplan Rhine-Main-Danube’…
Rotterdam Integrates Safety Research with LNG Training Facility
The Dutch company Falck Risc is becoming the number one expert on LNG safety in Europe. Together with the Unified Fire Department, Falck Risc will draw up guidelines and recommendations for emergency response services in dealing with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). This study is part of the LNG Masterplan Rhine-Main Danube and will be ready at the end of this year. As coordinator for the Rhine Corridor in this European project, Port of Rotterdam Authority is in charge of this research project by Falck Risc.
First LNG disaster prevention facility in Northwest Europe
At Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam, Falck has started work on a the first Northwest European training facility for disaster prevention involving Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the joint fire service in the port area are closely involved in the development of this training facility. From September 2014, fire crews, employees and members of company emergency response teams in the chemical and petrochemical industry, the road haulage and water transport sector and storage…
