Port of Constanța greening its operations in international Pioneers project

The largest port in Romania joined European-wide efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Port of Constanța will participate in a five-year project called Pioneers to optimize its operations including the introduction of renewable energy and mobility solutions.

Maritime Ports Administration SA Constantza is part of an international consortium of 46 partners that will carry out the Pioneers project, which recently got a EUR 25 million grant from the European Horizon 2020 program. The operator of the Black Sea Port of Constanța said it would work with partners on the production and supply of clean energy, optimization of flows, sustainable port design, digital transformation and innovation.

Pioneers – PORTable Innovation Open Network for Efficiency and Emissions Reduction Solutions is compliant with the European Green Deal, according to the announcement. It aims to rethink terminal operations, mobility and connectivity solutions, fuels, models of cooperation and production, storage and use of energy and other aspects.

Constanța is one of three partner ports

Port of Antwerp in Belgium leads the consortium of 46 members including terminal and transport operators, shippers, technology developers, research institutes and public entities. They will develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Pioneers is scheduled to begin at the end of the year

Romanian Constanța, Spain’s Barcelona and Venlo in the Netherlands are partner ports. They should apply the best practices resulting from the five-year endeavor as they transform into green ports. Antwerp will host the majority of the 19 demonstrator projects. The start is scheduled for the end of the year.

The actions include renewable energy generation and deployment of electric, hydrogen and methanol vehicles; building and heating networks retrofit for energy efficiency; implementation of circular economy approaches in infrastructure works; automation; and deployment of digital platforms to promote modal shift and ensure optimized vehicle, vessel and container movements.

Port of Antwerp pushing for carbon neutrality by 2050

“Port of Antwerp aims to be the first world port that reconciles economy, people and climate. In order to be climate neutral by 2050, we need to act now,” Chief Executive Officer Jacques Vandermeiren said.

The port operator has already installed LED lighting and rolled out energy-efficient tugboats and it is making different efforts to lower its carbon footprint. The Waterbus offers a car-free alternative to commuting for the 60,000 employees.

International shipping is responsible for 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, according to Vandermeiren, the port area of Antwerp accounts for 10 to 15 percent of Belgium’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Shanghai Maritime University and the universities of Genoa and Maastricht, are included in the project together with partners from Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Romania, Greece, France, Portugal.