ZeroNorth and Vitol have conducted the first digital bunker delivery in the Port of Rotterdam, marking the start of a four-week experiment.
During this time, Vitol will make three to four bunker deliveries in the Port of Rotterdam utilising ZeroNorth’s electronic bunker delivery note (eBDN) system.
The goal is to illustrate the advantages of digital bunker delivery notes over manual ones by calculating time savings during bunkering, increased operational efficiency, and improved data quality.
The trial further aims to demonstrate the solution’s viability for the port’s operations, thereby enabling the Port of Rotterdam to be the first port in Europe to take steps to digitalise bunkering.
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Rotterdam follows in the footsteps of Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), the world’s first port to implement and require eBDN.
Singapore and Rotterdam, as two of the world’s major bunkering ports, play critical roles in catalysing efforts to improve international shipping efficiency through the Singapore-Rotterdam Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.
ZeroNorth and Vitol have also contributed to this effort in Singapore, where Vitol Bunkers, in close partnership with ZeroNorth, was one of the first to implement eBDN with MPA approval.
Following the trial, the parties will completely integrate eBDN into the systems of the Port of Rotterdam and its suppliers, setting the groundwork for a fully digitalised operation.
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Kenneth Juhls, Senior VP and Global Head of Customer Success at ZeroNorth, said: “Transparency and efficiency in the bunker sector are crucial to the success of shipping’s energy transition.
“While the digitalisation of the bunker industry is gathering pace, significant opportunities to reduce operational costs and improve transparency in fuel transactions remain untapped. This initiative is an important step forward and has the potential to serve as a catalyst for the widespread adoption of eBDN across the industry.”
In October, the Port of Rotterdam announced the new Geofency system to optimise ship movements.
