HGK Shipping becomes Green Award incentive provider

23/05/2023

HGK Shipping has taken an important step in its commitment to sustainability and has become a Green Award incentive provider. Ships sailing under HGK Shipping’s flag will be eligible for a 100 per cent reimbursement of Green Award certification costs.

This incentive will apply to ships sailing under fixed direction for HGK Shipping’s three business units, namely Koninklijke Wijgula B.V., HGK DryShipping GmbH and HGK Shipping GmbH. The incentive will take effect retroactively from 1 March 2023.

At the Maritime Industry exhibition, the incentive provider-ship was confirmed.

Roel Strik, QEHS Superintendent of HGK Shipmanagement (pictured left): “With this step, HGK Shipping wants to contribute to making inland shipping more sustainable and show that we not only have a policy on paper, but also take concrete steps towards the transition to a more sustainable future.”

HGK has access to the largest inland shipping fleet in Europe. With their incentive, they are giving their 350 owned and chartered vessels an incentive to further go green.

Jan Fransen, Executive Director of Green Award (second from left): “We are proud that HGK Shipping has decided to embrace Green Award. And fair is fair: it gives our team a lot of energy that such a leading market party chooses to use Green Award as an instrument to take the sustainability of inland shipping further. Moreover, we have the ambition to roll out Green Award further in Europe, and this step also helps with that.”

About HGK Group:
Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG (HGK) is the logistics company within the public utilities group of the city of Cologne. Formerly a port company, HGK has evolved into a group offering integrated transport and logistics services with operations across Europe. Structured into five divisions, Logistics & Intermodal, Shipping, Rail Operations, Infrastructure & Maintenance and Real Estate, the HGK Group operates the largest inland waterway port network in Germany, one of the largest private rail freight companies, specialised logistics companies and terminals, as well as its own rail network and rail freight workshops through its subsidiaries and holding companies. HGK Shipping GmbH is the largest inland shipping company in Europe.

About the HGK Shipping division:
HGK Shipping is part of Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG. Its fleet consists of around 350 vessels, including its own. The spectrum of goods transported ranges from liquid chemicals and liquid gases to dry goods and general cargo.