Sint Maarten. Port working with TNO to study Alternative Energy Sector Potential and Opportunities for St. Maarten

POINT BLANCHE, St. Maarten – Port of St. Maarten – The St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies is interested in collaborating with utility company NV GEBE and other stakeholders with respect to tapping into alternative energy in a national effort towards meeting the sustainable energy needs of the country.

TNO rep Ruurd Schoolderman, CEO Mark Mingo and Alexander Gumbs, Port Business Development rep.

The St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies is already working with the Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO).  TNO connects people and knowledge to create innovations that boost the sustainable competitive strength of industry and well-being of society.

TNO was contracted to carry out a Fuel Strategy Plan for the country.  Phase 1 is an assessment of the current fuel landscape and an overview of regional developments that will impact future fuel demand.  Phase 2 entails the development of a short-medium-long-term fuel strategy for the period five to 15-years.

The relationship with TNO dates back to 2013 after the visit of Dutch Prime Minister Hon. Mark Rutte who toured the Port of St. Maarten in July 2013 along with a delegation of Dutch business executives.  The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs also supports the assistance being rendered to the port by TNO.

The collaboration envisioned by Harbour Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Mingo would bring about significant changes in the country’s energy sector with the benefits going towards the community.

“Collaboration entails cutting down on un-necessary pre-studies; it also means moving together in one direction using our resources in an efficient and effective manner.  Various countries in the region are looking at the potential and opportunities that the alternative energy sector has.

“At the port we carefully monitor and study trends in the maritime sector.  The maritime industry is responding to call to adopt environmentally-friendly solutions for fuel; Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has the potential to be a cleaner alternative to marine diesel. 

“Like any professional company, the harbour group continue to keep a keen eye on market trends.  We need to study what is coming ahead so we can continue to chart our future moving forward as a port and as an industry.   

“The Port of St. Maarten is an important regional player in fuel distribution. New developments such as a shift from heavy fuel oil to LNG for shipping and power production are expected to have impacts on future needs. In addition, increased production of renewable energy such as from wind, solar and possibly geo-thermal could change fuel demands.

“Cruise lines are also looking into this area.  As a country we have to look at trends and developments in the aforementioned area in order to be able to offer as a country services to clients that would benefit the continued strategic national sustainable development of the country in securing our energy future,” Mingo said on Sunday.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) also has a long-term future where propane’s considerable virtues as a transportation fuel will finally be more widely recognized with respect to a savings for consumers and creating a cleaner environment. 

TNO is an independent research organization whose expertise and research make an important contribution to the competiveness of companies and organizations, to the economy and the quality of society as a whole.

TNO’s unique position is attributable to its versatility and capacity to integrate this knowledge.

TNO develops knowledge not for its own sake but for practical application, to create new products that make life more pleasant and valuable and help companies innovate, and to find creative answers to the questions posed by society.

TNO works with a variety of entities, governments, small and medium size businesses, large companies, service providers, and the non-governmental organization sector.