MNO-E navigating in the Rotterdam port area © Ros B.V.
The Green Award Foundation has awarded the MNO-E, owned and managed by ROS B.V., a Green Award certificate at Gold level, with a Platinum label for propulsion. This recognition is reserved for ships that demonstrably exceed the legally required standards.
The MNO-E is a fully electric-powered push boat that operates in the Rotterdam port area. Since September, the vessel has been transporting sand between extraction sites and unloading locations in Rotterdam and Schiedam using fully electric propulsion. Operating with two hopper barges of 1,100 m³ each and equipped with electrically powered bow thrusters, the vessel is designed for reliable daily operations in busy ports and urban areas.
With the commissioning of the MNO-E, ROS B.V. has made its entire sand logistics chain emission-free. Loading at the quay is electric, road transport is electric, and water transport is now electric as well. This is not a pilot project. It is a structural step in the company’s long-term strategy.
“The MNO-E proves that zero-emission propulsion is technically feasible and operationally reliable in inland shipping,” says Jan Fransen, Executive Director of the Green Award Foundation. “Platinum certification is awarded to vessels that take clear and measurable steps forward in sustainability.”
The vessel has already been deployed in projects such as the quay wall replacement at Westerkade West in Rotterdam, located close to the Green Award office. It is a practical example of how emission-free transport by water makes a difference in inner-city environments. There are no exhaust emissions, less noise, and fewer truck movements on the road.
For ROS B.V., certification was a conscious decision. “We chose electrification because we believe it is the only future-proof direction for our company,” says Marco Kruithof, Director of ROS B.V.
By certifying the MNO-E, we show that our investments in a fully emission-free logistics chain meet the highest sustainability standards.
With this Platinum label for Propulsion, the MNO-E sets a clear benchmark for sustainable inland operations in practice.
MNO-E unloading sand during operations © Ros B.V.
