The Dutch government is going to abolish the energy tax on onshore power next year. This is stated in the 'miljoenennota' presented on Prinsjesdag. It is also looking into the possibility of introducing a sharply reduced rate of energy tax. 

In order to make the use on shore power more attractive, the rate will be reduced. This rate will be € 0.0005 per supplied kWh of electricity. Ships also do not have to pay ODE - Opslag Duurzame Energie* for shore-side electricity.

According to shippers' organisation evofenedex, the measures will make it financially more attractive for trading and production companies to use electric barges.

The measures are a result of the Green Deal Maritime that was concluded by the Dutch government and the inland shipping sector last year. evofenedex has also signed this Green Deal as a representative of a large proportion of the customers of inland shipping. Together with members of evofenedex, they are investigating possibilities to stimulate cleaner inland shipping from the market as well.

Slowly losing its green edge​
Next year, a European Greening Fund for Inland Navigation will also be set up. This comes on top of the 79 million subsidy that the Cabinet had already promised earlier this year to provide ships with cleaner engines. This will also contribute to accelerating the greening of inland shipping. This is of great importance for the attractiveness of the sector, which, according to shippers, is slowly losing its green edge.

* ODE is an additional tax that everyone who consumes energy has to pay. Per kWh of electricity or m³ of gas consumed, you pay ODE. The subsidy pot of the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Production (SDE+) is financed with this.