The report concludes that imposing a Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) on the Mediterranean will result in reduced emission of sulphur dioxide, but in practically no changes to the market share of the various ports. The researchers call this a ‘quick win’ in the fight against air pollution. Currently the rules for emissions from shipping are stricter in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea than the Mediterranean. The researchers believe that the southern ports do not gain any competitive advantage from this.
The use of LNG as transportation fuel in logistics (shipping, inland shipping, truck) has a positive effect mainly on inland shipping and coastal shipping. This makes logistics chains more sustainable via ports which have a large percentage of their hinterland transport organized by barges and coastal shipping, such as the port of Rotterdam. Trains are able to run on 100% renewable energy.
A broad application of IT can improve the efficiency of logistics and the load factor of containers and transport modalities. Panteia estimates a maximum CO2 reduction of 5% to 10%.
Major shippers and logistics companies were interviewed for the study. Price is the most important criterion for them, followed by service and reliability. Sustainability is not an important criterion. Sustainability is a deal maker, but not a deal breaker yet.
This means that legislation and incentives are important in ensuring that logistics are made more sustainable. Port authorities, transport companies and governments play an important part in this. For example, they can stimulate the use of LNG instead of diesel or fuel oil, stimulate inland shipping and rail, and develop IT to make logistics chains more efficient. Sea ports can use incentives for cleaner ships to contribute effectively to more sustainable logistics. Measures which reduce costs as well as the emissions are therefore very interesting.
The research of Panteia was commissioned by the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Deltalinqs. The Port Authority wants to play a leading role in the transition to reduce the environmental footprint of transport and believes decisions on this topic should be based on facts.