RWG CO2 neutral

For Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG), future-proof entrepreneurship means doing business respecting people and the environment. That is why RWG is investing in enabling fully CO2 neutral container handling at the terminal in the port of Rotterdam.

From the start of the terminal's construction, RWG has invested heavily in sustainability and continuously strives for maximum efficient handling and storage of containers. We do everything we can to continue innovating and growing where possible. Our vision is that today's investments should never come at the expense of tomorrow's quality of life. We care about people, the environment, and society, where ecological aspects are just as important as economic ones. That is why we are continuously in dialogue with our surroundings and work as sustainably as possible.

Reducing impact

RWG already minimises CO2 emissions: all our cranes and many of our vehicles, such as the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), run on green electricity. Where possible, we also generate our own energy. Additionally, RWG is the first deep-sea terminal that is 'LNG ready'. The transition from fuel oil to LNG as a sustainable fuel is an important step in making the shipping industry more sustainable. We facilitate this development not only to work sustainably but also to reduce the impact on the environment and society.

Investing in CO2 neutrality

Thanks in part to extensive electrification and automation, RWG already has the lowest emissions in the sector. In the coming years, RWG will invest in making container handling at the terminal completely CO2 neutral, so that by 2024 we will be one of the first terminals in the world to have reduced emissions to zero.

Ronald Lugthart, CEO of RWG: "At RWG, we are committed to sustainable and clean operations. Our goal to be completely emission-free from 2024 is not only ambitious but also necessary with an eye to future generations."

To reduce emissions to zero, several adjustments are required. For instance, the portion of container handling equipment with combustion engines, which currently use the cleaner GTL (gas to liquid) fuel, will be replaced with fully electric equipment. Additionally, the electrical and civil infrastructure will be adapted to realise, among other things, high-power charging points.

On the path to CO2 neutrality, it is technically impossible to eliminate all emissions right away. Therefore, RWG has entered into a partnership with Shell to compensate for the remaining CO2 emissions by investing in Shell's Nature-Based Solutions programme, which has been validated by Kiwa. These are projects aimed at protecting and restoring natural areas, through which CO2 emissions are absorbed by nature. We are in continuous dialogue with our surroundings and work as sustainably as possible.