Port of Rotterdam CO2 transport project set to commence

The Port of Rotterdam‘s carbon dioxide (CO2) transport and storage project, ‘Porthos’, has been green-lighted to commence after the Council of State ruled positively on its ecological assessment.

On 22 August, the Council of State concluded that the ecological study showed that Porthos’s nitrogen deposition does not have a significant impact on nearby natural areas.

The final investment decision is currently being prepared by Porthos. The aim is to commence construction in early 2024.

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Storing CO2 in empty gas fields beneath the North Sea seabed will allow large amounts of CO2 to be kept out of the atmosphere at relatively low cost in the short term.

The Port of Rotterdam believes that Porthos will have the capability to capture and annually store 2.5 million tonnes of CO2.

Construction of the Porthos system will take approximately two years to complete. Porthos is expected to be operational from 2026.

In April 2023, the Port of Rotterdam reported that CO2 emissions from its industry and power plants reduced by 1 million tonnes in 2022, reflecting a 4.2 per cent decrease from 2021.

This month, the Port of Rotterdam implemented new tow-away regulations for improperly moored and anchored barges.