Indirect emissions from Rotterdam port 3.5 times higher than all of Netherlands

Oil, coal, and other fossil raw materials and fuels that are imported and processed in the port of Rotterdam ultimately cause CO2 emissions that are over 3.5 times higher than the emissions of the whole of the Netherlands, the research agency CE Delft estimated in a report. It is ultimately up to the refineries, not the port, to lower their emissions, the port of Rotterdam responded.

The independent research agency investigated the Rotterdam port’s indirect emissions on behalf of two activist groups: Stichting Vrienden van XR and Advocates for the Future. CE Delft also calculated the sustainability plans for the largest port in Europe. The researchers distinguished between the emissions of companies in the port area itself and the total emissions that come from fossil products from the moment they are extracted until the moment they are consumed.

According to CE Delft, if all sustainability plans are implemented on time, the emissions of companies in the port area itself could be between 44 and 66 percent lower in 2030 than in 2023. “However, a lot still needs to be done for this and the uncertainties are great,” the researchers warned.

The forced closure of the two coal-fired power plants that are still operating in the port area should cause a significant decrease in emissions. The plants must close by 2030, as stipulated by law. Two major projects for capturing and storing CO2 in empty gas fields under the North Sea will also make a significant contribution if they are realized as planned.

Much less clear is how the 2050 target is to be achieved. In that year, the Port Authority wants a climate-neutral port of Rotterdam, “but there are no concrete plans that show how this ambition can be achieved,” CE Delft noted.

The researchers also see no initiatives to reduce indirect emissions. These are the final emissions of raw materials and products that enter and leave the port. According to the research, these total 604 megatons of COE2 per year, a multiple of the annual emissions of the entire Dutch economy. The two large refineries of Shell and Esso, in particular, contribute to this. There, fuels are made from oil that are sold internationally. Large quantities of coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are also imported and exported in Rotterdam.

Indirect emissions played an important role in the climate case of Milieudefensie against Shell. The court in The Hague pointed out that a reduction in these emissions does not always mean that the climate benefits. For example, if a competitor takes over the trade, the global emissions do not decrease.

In response, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said it was doing everything it could to enable CO2 reduction among users of the port. However, it is the companies themselves that have to make the necessary investments in converting factories and in new production facilities to reduce their emissions.

According to a spokesperson for the Port Authority, a distinction must be made between the port as a whole and the Port Authority as port manager. “The Port of Rotterdam Authority can reduce its own emissions on its own vessels, vehicles, and real estate,” she said.

Regarding the sustainability of the companies active in the port, she said: “The Port Authority wants to do what is possible for this, including by jointly investing in the construction of the necessary infrastructure. We also use the seaport dues and lease contracts to add financial incentives and make reduction agreements with our customers.”

According to the Port Authority, controlling the effects of climate change ultimately requires a completely new, global system for energy and raw materials. During this transition, fossil energy is still needed to keep society from coming to a standstill, the spokesperson said.

But regulation also plays an important role, she added. “For example, the demand for alternative fuels and raw materials is still low at the moment because their use is not yet mandatory and the price is considerably higher than regular fuels.”