Port of Amsterdam adopts Green Award ship waste module for EU regulation compliance
Rotterdam, 18 April 2024 – Port of Amsterdam, one of Europe’s leading ports, has announced its decision to utilise the Green Award Ship Waste module to comply with the recently enacted European Union (EU) waste regulation. This move follows closely on the heels of the Port of Rotterdam’s adoption of the same programme, signalling a growing trend among major European ports to leverage Green Award’s expertise in promoting sustainable shipping practises.
Recent EU regulations require member state ports to provide waste reception facilities for ships and to implement a cost recovery system that encourages waste delivery to ports. By opting for the Green Award Ship Waste module, Port of Amsterdam is demonstrating its commitment to not only meeting the regulatory requirements but also to incentivising ships that go above and beyond in their waste management practises.
📷 Port of Amsterdam
Jan Fransen, Executive Director of the Green Award Foundation, said: “We are delighted to see another major European port recognising the value of the Green Award Ship Waste module in facilitating compliance with the EU regulation. Port of Amsterdam’s adoption of our programme further validates our efforts to promote sustainable shipping and underscores the importance of industry collaboration in achieving environmental goals.”
The Green Award Ship Waste module has been developed in line with the EU’s sustainability benchmarks, and provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and certifying ships based on their waste management performance. Ships that meet the criteria set by Green Award are eligible for a range of incentives, including discounted port fees and priority access to waste reception facilities.
Port of Amsterdam’s decision to use the Green Award Ship Waste module is expected to encourage more ships to adopt sustainable waste management practises and contribute to the overall reduction of marine pollution. As more ports follow suit, the shipping industry is poised to make significant strides towards a greener and more sustainable future.
website : www.portofamsterdam.com
Notes
EU Ship Waste Fee Regulation Context
New European Union (EU) regulations enacted by the European Parliament and EU Commission as “Directive (EU) 2019/883” came into force. This requires all EU member state ports and municipalities that charge ships waste fees to implement a system of discounts or incentives tied to strict environmental sustainability criteria and third-party verification of performance. The aim is to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy model within the maritime shipping industry.
Specifically, EU “Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/91” sets outs the exact criteria ships must meet across waste streams and overall sustainable management practices to qualify for waste fee reductions under Directive 2019/883. Independent auditing bodies like Green Award Foundation, with relevant expertise incentivising responsible shipping, provide verification services to ports for determining ships that achieve compliance.
While the regulations mandate discounts in principle, use of established voluntary incentive programs like Green Award for verification simplifies implementation for ports and ships compared to administrative reporting alternatives.