The inland waterway cooperative NPRC and Covestro AG took the next step in their long-standing partnership to make the chloralkali supply chain more sustainable. By transitioning to the renewable fuel HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a significant 30% CO2 reduction will be achieved in the supply of salt via inland vessels from Hengelo and Delfzijl to the Covestro sites in Uerdingen, Dormagen, and Leverkusen.

Each year, NPRC transports large amounts of salt for Covestro along the inland waterways. Salt is the essential raw material in chloralkali production. In line with Covestro’s commitment to reducing its ecological footprint, both parties have worked together to identify and implement sustainable solutions. The use of HVO, a renewable fuel that is directly applicable, is proven to be scalable and economic feasible and has been chosen to deliver substantial environmental benefits. The use of HVO is in addition to the sustainable measures on board a number of ships to reduce emissions of nitrogen and particulate matter.

By switching to HVO fuel, a structural CO2 reduction of 30% will be achieved, translating into a reduction of approximately 2,200 tons of CO2 per year. After using Q4 20234 as a pilot phase, NPRC and Covestro committed themselves to achieve this reduction on a yearly basis, from 2025 onwards and will be applied at least until the end of 2027. This underlines the long-term commitment of both parties to reduce CO2, not only today but also in the upcoming years.