Port of South LouisianaSailors SocietyBühler GmbHVan AalstPort of StocktonCimbria
  • Geneva Dry
  • Telestack
  • TMS Awards 2023
  • Van Aalst
  • Port of South Louisiana
  • Cimbria

Port leaders extend WPCAP for greener shipping

Port leaders extend WPCAP for greener shipping

(Posted on 31/05/23)

The World Port Climate Action Program (WPCAP) will be extended with a new focus on shore power, new fuels and green shipping corridors.

This was agreed by the CEOs and leaders of 12 leading ports at a meeting in Rotterdam on the occasion of the first five years of the program. WPCAP members praised the program for its important contribution to the adoption of sustainability standards in the shipping industry.

“The world has changed drastically in the past five years and climate is at the top of the international agenda today, including in the shipping industry”, said Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam. “This is in part due to programs like WPCAP, and we still have an important role to play. The industry still needs leadership by ports and we need to prove now that we are part of the solution and can create momentum for real change.”

In the past years, WPCAP has significantly contributed to the faster adoption of shore power at ports, helping to reduce emissions of CO2 and pollutants while ships are at berth.

WPCAP members developed a global overview of existing facilities and best practice guidelines on their technical, operational and economic implementation and ports in Northwest Europe agreed on the faster adoption of shore power in an MoU.

Jarl Schoemaker: “We saw a shift from a situation where ports developed a few projects to large scale investment programs – the WPCAP ports present here in Rotterdam are planning more than 160 connection points with a total investment plan of more than 500 million euros. But we’re not there yet: various global ports are still lagging in this area even though studies show that shore power will have a tremendously positive impact, both short term and in the long run.”

The CEOs discussed the benefits of shore power, including improved air quality and a better working environment for shipping crews. They also exchanged views on stimulating its further adoption, noting that terminals and shipping lines also have an important role to play in this.

A recent study from CE Delft for the WPCAP working group shows that shore power will be part of the long-term maritime fuel mix and especially when ships will have to shift to expensive fossil free fuels. The working group is bringing this message to the maritime shipping industry and continues advocating its global implementation.

The second focus area for WPCAP in the coming years is to facilitate the bunkering and adoption of cleaner fuels. The ports have worked with the IAPH Clean Marine Fuels working group to create a Port Readiness Framework, a self-assessment and communications tool that allows various stakeholders to understand the different levels of research, development and deployment of new fuels at ports around the world.

“Given the urgency of the climate crisis and shipping’s commitments to reducing emissions in line with international regulations, we must take action now. It took almost nine years shipping to adopt LNG as a marine fuel. We cannot wait that long for the deployment of ammonia, methanol, hydrogen and other clean fuels,” said Namrata Nadkarni, chair of the working group on sustainable marine fuels and founder of maritime consultancy Intent Communications. “Our Port Readiness Level is an ideal way for ports to assess their ability to host vessel calls or bunker individual fuels, communicate this with stakeholders and identify areas where more resources are needed to meet their alternative fuel and technology ambitions. ”

The tool is expected to be ready for voluntary use by ports towards the end of the year.

Latest News

New customs declaration process launched in Belgium

(Posted on 07/05/25)

Inbound Release Platform (IRP) has been operating since 1 April 2025. This innovative solution, which... Read more


Kale to develop Oman’s national port communication system

(Posted on 07/05/25)

Kale Logistics Solutions (Kale), along with its local partner Novel Muscat, has been awarded the contract... Read more


Estonian-German ports strengthen bilateral relations

(Posted on 01/05/25)

Participants at the first German-Estonian Port Days, have demonstrated the impressive way in which bilateral... Read more


Teesport Offshore Gateway - a multi-million pound investment in the River Tees

(Posted on 29/04/25)

One of the UK’s major port groups, PD Ports has announced its ambition to develop one of the UK... Read more


Port of Amsterdam achieves CO? reduction target

(Posted on 28/04/25)

Port of Amsterdam has achieved its CO? reduction target. The Port of Amsterdam aimed to reduce its corporate... Read more


NSBT celebrates launch of new third berth in Freetown

(Posted on 22/04/25)

Nectar Sierra Leone Bulk Terminal (NSBT) is celebrating the operational launch of a new third berth... Read more


Greenhouse gas emissions in port of Rotterdam down by 8%

(Posted on 17/04/25)

Greenhouse gas emissions at companies in the port decreased by 1.7 Mton (8%) in 2024 compared to 2023... Read more


Raw materials delivered to British Steel through Immingham

(Posted on 15/04/25)

Following the UK government’s passing of an emergency law to take control of British Steel, vital... Read more


Rotterdam takes important step in making shipping more sustainable

(Posted on 15/04/25)

Trammo, OCI and James Fisher Fendercare have successfully conducted an ammonia bunkering pilot between... Read more


Bulgarian port’s first order for new Konecranes Gottwald MHCs

(Posted on 03/04/25)

BMF Port Burgas AD (BMF), one of Bulgaria’s largest port operators, has ordered two Generation... Read more


ViganGeneva DryTMS Awards 2023TelestackTBA Group
  • Bühler GmbH
  • Sailors Society
  • Vigan

Subscribe to our newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest global news in bulk cargo handling and shipping