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Jan Fransen, Managing Director of the Green Award Foundation, has been awarded the Sleep Anchor, a prize from the Port Authority of Rotterdam, which has been presented since 2006 to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of the Port of Rotterdam. Fransen received the award for his significant achievements in improving safety, environmental performance, and sustainability in international shipping.
After 32 years at the Green Award Foundation, including 21 years as Managing Director, Fransen is retiring. His career began in the 1990s when he developed a quality label for ships that meet the highest safety and environmental standards on behalf of the then Port Authority of Rotterdam. This quality label evolved into the Green Award certification, which is internationally recognized and focuses on sustainable and safe shipping.
Since 1994, the Port Authority of Rotterdam has rewarded ships that hold a Green Award certificate with discounts on port fees. Currently, hundreds of seagoing vessels are certified worldwide, and numerous ports, governments, and companies collaborate within the Green Award network. In 2011, Fransen expanded the initiative, making the quality label accessible to Dutch inland shipping as well. Today, nearly 1,500 inland vessels carry the Green Award certificate, contributing to a noticeable improvement in environmental conditions.
The award ceremony took place during a panel discussion on July 9, organized by the Green Award Foundation to honor Fransen. Vivienne de Leeuw, CFO of the Port Authority of Rotterdam, presented him with the Sleep Anchor and emphasized the motivation that has characterized Fransen throughout his career. “Jan has worked for many years to make the Port of Rotterdam and the international maritime sector more sustainable, not because he had to, but because he truly believed in it,” said de Leeuw. She highlighted that Fransen has shown as a director, ambassador, and source of inspiration that economic development and sustainability are not mutually exclusive but can reinforce each other.
The Port Authority of Rotterdam aims to further develop the port as a future-proof logistics location and industrial complex. Sustainable development and the efficient handling of shipping traffic are at the forefront. The port plays a vital role in the economy of the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region as well as in the Netherlands and Europe by creating jobs and ensuring the supply of energy, food, and other products.
