The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands has allocated €15.1m (US$16.3) for the development and transformation of inland vessels that use Zero Emission Services (ZES) technology for fully electric sailing.
Practical details
For the period until December 31, 2025, a total of €15.1m (US$16.3) is reserved for this subsidy. Per vessel, there is a maximum subsidy of 40% of the total investment costs with a limit of €400,000 (US$434,000). For industrial research projects, there is additional funding of up to €75,000 (US$81,000) per application.
Subsidies are allocated based on a ranking according to the following criteria: emission-free, clean, implementation period, as well as plan and justification. The regulation is open between May 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024; and September 1, 2024 and October 15, 2024.
Regulation objective
The Inland Shipping Electrification Incentive finances the electrification of inland vessels using ZESpacks (standardized modular energy containers) by offering financial support for adapting or building a ship with electric propulsion. This specifically includes the installation of electric propulsion systems. Some components that differ from traditional (diesel) systems are allowed, but battery containers and combustion engines are not subsidized. Ships must be able to operate fully electrically with interchangeable battery containers.
Affordable sustainability
To make ship sustainability affordable, ZES has introduced a payment model based on paying for the use of renewable energy (pay per use). Entrepreneurs only pay for the (re)construction to enable electric navigation and for the use of ZESpacks. The total investment required to operate cleanly is significantly reduced. The National Growth Fund (NGF) has provided a subsidy for ‘zero-emission inland shipping, battery-electric’ to enable inland vessels to navigate with ZESpacks.
In related news, Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) recently partnered with bound4blue to install three 22m autonomous eSails on board the Pacific Sentinel. Click here to read the full story.