Ports of Rotterdam and Duisburg Strengthen Partnership with New Agreement to Advance Green Corridors and Industrial Decarbonisation

Sitting: Markus Bangen – CEO duisport, Boudewijn Siemons – CEO Port of Rotterdam. Standing: Hendrik Wüst – minister president NRW, dr. Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut – German Ambassador to the Netherlands

(IN BRIEF)  The ports of Rotterdam and Duisburg have signed a new Letter of Intent to expand their cooperation in building sustainable waterway corridors and supporting Europe’s energy transition. The agreement focuses on strengthening the Rhine corridor as a major logistics and energy route, while advancing carbon capture and storage infrastructure for hard-to-abate industries. In the presence of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik Wüst, both ports reaffirmed their shared commitment to decarbonising industry and modernising transport systems. The collaboration, led by duisport CEO Markus Bangen and Port of Rotterdam CEO Boudewijn Siemons, builds on earlier partnerships in digitalisation, green energy transport, and low-carbon ammonia pilot projects.

(PRESS RELEASE) ROTTERDAM, 31-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the Port of Duisburg are taking a major step forward in their long-standing collaboration with the signing of a new Letter of Intent (LoI) aimed at accelerating sustainable transport development, industrial decarbonisation, and energy transition initiatives across Europe’s key logistics corridors. The agreement was formalised in the presence of Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, underscoring the strategic significance of this partnership for regional industry and European supply chains.

As Europe’s largest seaport and the world’s largest inland port, Rotterdam and Duisburg play pivotal roles in enabling climate-neutral industry, resilient logistics, and energy security. The new cooperation framework focuses on advancing green transport routes via waterways, particularly along the Rhine corridor, which serves as one of Europe’s most vital trade and energy arteries.

Minister President Hendrik Wüst praised the initiative, stating: “The cooperation between Rotterdam and Duisburg sends a signal of confidence in Europe’s future. Together, these ports are key to ensuring sustainable industry, resilient supply chains, and strong infrastructure. Their partnership contributes not only to economic competitiveness but also to ecological and security goals for North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.”

A key new component of the LoI is the cross-border export of CO₂ — a critical development for hard-to-abate industries that rely on carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies. By enabling large-scale CO₂ transport and management, the ports are laying the groundwork for a pan-European network supporting industrial decarbonisation. This will complement efforts to build new infrastructure for renewable energy imports and sustainable logistics.

Markus Bangen, CEO of duisport, emphasized the value of joint innovation: “We face enormous challenges, from energy transition to supply chain sustainability. The fastest way to overcome them is together — by pooling our expertise and developing cross-border solutions. Logistics is a team sport, and Rotterdam is the perfect partner for us.”

Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, highlighted the ports’ evolving role in Europe’s energy landscape: “Thirteen percent of Europe’s total energy demand passes through Rotterdam — currently mostly fossil-based, but we are transforming to become the port of renewable energy imports. Inland shipping, and our cooperation with Duisburg, are essential for ensuring these green energy sources reach Europe’s heartland.”

The 2025 agreement builds on the ports’ 2022 partnership, which focused on joint rail development, digitalisation, and energy transition projects. Notable achievements include the RheinPorts–Portbase digital platform integration, collaboration with the Brazilian port of Pecém for green energy transport, and a low-carbon ammonia transport pilot launched during the Dutch King’s visit in 2023.

By reinforcing their collaboration, the ports of Rotterdam and Duisburg are positioning themselves as central players in Europe’s green logistics transformation, driving innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness across the continent’s industrial and transport sectors.

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SOURCE: Port of Rotterdam