New Digital Tool Helps Ports Transition to Sustainable Shipping Fuels

A new digital tool, the Port Readiness Level (PRL-MF), was launched this week at the International Association of Ports & Harbours (IAPH) World Port Conference to assist ports in transitioning to sustainable shipping fuels. Developed with support from the Port of Rotterdam, the tool helps ports assess their readiness to offer low- and zero-carbon fuels like methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen.

The PRL-MF tool provides a structured, step-by-step guide to ensure ports meet all safety and logistical requirements before allowing ships to bunker alternative fuels. Cees Boon, Senior Safety Advisor at the Port of Rotterdam and co-developer of the tool, explained, “This tool helps ports determine their progress and actions needed to support sustainable fuels.”

The Port of Rotterdam, a pioneer in this field, recently achieved level 8 readiness for bunkering methanol and is working to reach similar levels for ammonia and hydrogen. The tool was developed in collaboration with the IAPH Clean Marine Fuels Working Group, Mission Innovation’s Zero Emission Shipping, and the World Ports Climate Action Program (WPCAP), which the Port of Rotterdam helped initiate in 2018.