Jan De Nul Commits to Reducing CO₂

Jan De Nul Group announced it has committed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 15 percent each year during maintenance dredging works at the Nieuwpoort coastal marina. In collaboration with the Flemish government, the company also wants to include by 2020 a minimum requirement of 15 percent CO₂ reduction in 80 percent of maintenance dredging contracts in Flanders.

Upon issuing an invitation to tender for the maintenance dredging works in the Nieuwpoort coastal marina, the Flemish governmental Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services gave the market opportunities to focus on CO₂ reduction through innovation. Jan De Nul Group won the contract by promising to reduce CO₂ emissions by 15 percent annually.

Jan De Nul Group is focusing on drop-in biofuel to achieve the CO₂ reduction target. This is a high quality, sustainable replacement for fossil diesel, made of vegetable oils or waste flows. Engines do not have to be adapted in order to use drop-in biofuel and along with CO₂ emissions being reduced less fine dust is released in the air. Drop-in biofuel also burns more efficiently than conventional diesel and because it uses waste flows as a raw material, it is also beneficial to the circular economy. Finally, it is a clean fuel that is extremely suitable for high-grade engines.

The announcement of the targets comes after the Flemish government’s decision to agree to a three-year pilot project for testing the CO₂ performance ladder for government contracts. This ladder was developed in 2009 in the Netherlands as an instrument and certification scheme to stimulate CO₂ reduction. The Flemish pilot project will kick off in September 2019 and last until September 2022. The expected result is that contractors will be awarded contracts if it offers maximum quality, minimal CO₂ emissions and a fair price.