Carbonbid: 8 projects receive a total of €3.5 million for 575,000 tonnes of CO₂ reduction

The Port of Rotterdam Authority has set up a tendering process whereby initiators receive compensation if their activities reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the port area. The essence of ‘Carbonbid’, as we’ve called this process, is that it supports projects that reduce the most CO₂ equivalent at the lowest cost. The outcome of the first Carbonbid process is that eight projects will together reduce emissions in the port area by 575,000 tonnes of CO₂e, for which the Port Authority will pay €3.5 million over a period of four years. That is an average of €6 per tonnes of CO₂e.

Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority: “A great deal of attention is always paid to CO₂ reduction by industry, but logistics companies and all kinds of service providers also have emissions. We aim to use Carbonbid to persuade those parties to become more sustainable where necessary. Doing this through a tendering process will reduce the most CO₂ at the lowest cost. I am pleasantly surprised by how diverse the projects are and that we will be keeping so much greenhouse gas out of the air with this budget. Carbonbid is an innovative way to help achieve climate goals with relatively little money.”

The Port of Rotterdam Authority has deliberately chosen to only allow projects that reduce emissions within the port area. Emissions covered by ETS (European CO₂ emission allowances) are also excluded, and there is a maximum amount per project, so that many different initiatives can be supported.

Eight winning companies

The companies that emerged as winners are: Xirqulate (processing contaminated harbour sludge from the Slufter into raw materials), Superflox (mobile ship degassing, eliminating the need for ships to sail out to sea to release the last remnants of their cargo), ECT (replacement of diesel AGVs with electric ones), Steinweg (replacement of diesel reach stackers with electric ones), Celsius (mobile shore power), Fleet Robotics (hull cleaning of small seagoing vessels and inland waterway vessels), Den Bosch / Nijmegen Max (conversion of two inland waterway vessels from diesel-electric to battery-electric), Kalmar (innovative electric reach stackers).

Jury and auditor

The Carbonbid tendering process consisted of several phases. Of the 54 plans submitted, the Port Authority first assessed whether they met the conditions. After that, a diverse panel of experts questioned the applicants about the feasibility of their proposals. Finally, accountancy firm EY assessed whether the intended CO₂e reduction is measurable and verifiable. In the end, 20 projects remained. Contracts have now been concluded with the eight companies that required the lowest contribution from the Port Authority per tonne of CO₂e avoided. With these eight contracts, the budget of €3.5 million has been allocated. In view of the success of Carbonbid, the Port Authority is considering organising a further round of this tender.