The IJmond region experiences a high volume of freight transport by water (inland shipping), connecting the ports and terminals of IJmond with the hinterland and vice versa. In the Green Deal for Ports & Inland Shipping (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2019), an agreement was made to significantly reduce emissions from inland shipping.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has since launched the Inland Shipping Energy Transition initiative, partly funded through the Climate Package. The Just Transition Fund (JTF) supports the energy transition at the European level.
The PortLiner project has been awarded a JTF contribution of €4 million.
PortLiner has developed a concept based on flow batteries, in which electrical energy is stored in a liquid electrolyte. The PortLiner JTF IJmond project involves investing in an inland vessel equipped with flow batteries and subsequently deploying it along the transport corridor between IJmond, Amsterdam, and Maasvlakte Rotterdam, in both directions.
The project primarily aligns with the JTF theme of technology, systems, and infrastructure aimed at decarbonizing existing industrial supply chains, including logistics. Specifically, the project focuses on the decarbonization of inland shipping, particularly container transport, which is an important economic activity for the IJmond region.
The project will demonstrate that converting container shipping from diesel to electric propulsion is a feasible option, both technically and financially.
The construction and outfitting of the vessel will take place at shipyards in the Netherlands, under the supervision of MSVA Marine Services. The vessel is expected to enter service in the first quarter of 2027.
Dear reader,
Autumn has begun, and at Kansen voor West, that means plenty of activity. Since 12 October 2026, new funding opportunities have become available, and several existing funding calls have been expanded. For the first time, a voucher scheme for North Holland has been launched through ROM InWest, focusing on defence and dual-use technologies. Also new is the circular water lab funding call through Waterlab Flevoland, while Flevoland now also offers a voucher scheme for defence and dual-use technologies. Utrecht is introducing new vouchers for AI and cybersecurity through ROM Utrecht Region. In South Holland and The Hague, funding calls are available for larger projects involving STEP technologies: clean technologies, digital and deep technologies, and biotechnology.
At the same time, we are seeing the results of earlier investments. During the World Port Days, we brought together projects, entrepreneurs, European programmes, and the public through DOK EUROPA. An estimated 20,000 visitors attended. To me, this clearly demonstrates what it is ultimately all about: European funding is not an end in itself. It is about innovations becoming reality, entrepreneurs being able to take the next step, and knowledge and experiences that we can use to further improve programmes and policies.
We want to strengthen this interaction even further in the coming period. This means promoting new opportunities, connecting projects, and, above all, showcasing what is happening in the western Netherlands. Over the past few months, we have once again seen some excellent final presentations from projects that have been completed and delivered results. HeartEye and Edra in Rotterdam developed an impressive product for the rapid monitoring of heart rhythm disorders. Awareable in Amsterdam created a compact tracking system that can be widely applied in elderly care, as well as in theatres. At Reliq in The Hague, a single panel controls a large recording studio. The project was so successful through crowdfunding that the product was brought directly to market. Meanwhile, Young Digitals in The Hague is successfully inspiring young people who struggle to get started in their careers to become enthusiastic about IT and AI.
Another noteworthy development is that, after two years of searching, a physical location has finally opened for the Industrial Electrification Fieldlab (FLIE) in Rotterdam’s M4H district. We should also highlight the celebration of The Green Village’s 12.5-year anniversary. It is impressive to see how many innovations have been developed and tested there over the years.
Meanwhile, preparations for the new programming period are progressing rapidly. In Brussels, more time is still needed to reach an agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034. The Netherlands would like to be the first to submit its plans. However, we are not yet optimistic: the prospect of regional chapters in the Netherlands’ National Plan seems more distant than ever. Nor has any dedicated funding been earmarked for disadvantaged urban areas, even though the Netherlands has successfully invested resources in these areas for more than thirty years. Everything must be strictly defined in advance through performance targets and milestones; the centrally planned economy seems to be making a comeback. Kansen voor West has always stood for bottom-up regional innovation. Whether we will be able to maintain this approach from 2028 onwards remains highly uncertain.
For now, however, there are still plenty of opportunities in the western Netherlands. Do you have an idea of your own? Be sure to explore the new funding calls and watch the explanation provided during our webinar on 7 October. With 134 participants, the webinar attracted above-average attendance. We expect to receive some excellent applications as a result of these new opportunities. Both the recording and presentation are available.
Watch the webinar from 7 October
Download the presentation (PDF)
Enjoy reading!
Ruud van Raak Head of the Managing Authority, Kansen voor West
Ton van Meegen from Portliner (electric inland vessels) in conversation with Luuc Dekkers, Rotterdam’s Alderman for European Affairs; Cecilia Thorfinn, Acting Head of the European Commission Representation in the Netherlands; and Ruud van Raak, Head of the Managing Authority of Kansen voor West.
DOK Europa (Photo: Lennaert Ruinen)
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