Collaborate and accelerate on the way to smart green ports
What does the smart green port of the future look like? This question was the focus of the MAGPIE project launch conference last Thursday. MAGPIE stands for smart Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodel hubs. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is the secretary of the project that is subsidized from the Horizon 2020 EU Green Deal programme.
"Collaboration is essential to realize climate neutral ports," said Nico van Dooren, Director of New Business at the Port of Rotterdam Authority, in his opening speech. He called for learning from each other and sharing all knowledge in order to arrive at new insights and solutions.
The MAGPIE consortium, consisting of 45 parties from the Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, Denmark and Sweden, came together in the New Luxor. One of the external speakers was Magda Kopczynska, Director of Maritime at the European Commission. She called for an acceleration of the transition around the use of alternative energy sources in ports. She also expressed her admiration for the involvement, collaboration and connection of all MAGPIE partners to work towards the same goal: developing green logistics from, to and within ports.
The conference ended with two clear messages from MEP Caroline Nagtegaal (VVD / Renew Europe) and Isabelle Ryckbost (Secretary General European Seaport Federation ESPO). Ms Nagtegaal called for far-reaching cooperation between ports, business, government and other stakeholders and to continue investing in transforming ports into clean energy hubs. Ms Ryckbost then emphasized the important role of ports in greening towards the future. Support from the EU is crucial in this regard. Not only in the form of financial contributions from various funds, but also in creating the policy preconditions (legislation, permits). In this way ports can fulfill their role in the green transition.
Background green ports
In 2019, the European Commission launched the European Green Deal to address the challenges of climate change. Transport is responsible for 25% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The goal is to reduce GHG emissions of transport by 90% by 2050. In this context, seaports will play a major role in boosting the use of cleaner technologies, green energy carriers and logistics concepts in maritime transport, port operations and inland transport (road, rail, inland shipping and pipeline) to reduce GHG emissions.
The port of Rotterdam, the largest seaport in Europe, with many transport connections for all modalities, is at the forefront of the energy transition and has the vision to be an emission-free port by 2050. Together with HAROPA port (Rouen, Le Havre and Paris), the port of Sines and DeltaPort (Wesel, Germany), the Port Authority is helping to achieve the sustainability goals of the European Green Deal. In the MAGPIE project, various new energy-friendly techniques are demonstrated and digital tools are developed to achieve greener logistics within ports. The conditions for greening are also created in a non-technological sense.
Do you want to see the whole conference?
More information about MAGPIE and the livestream of the start conference with all contributions can be found at www.magpie-ports.eu.