Amsterdam RAI received goods by boat for the first time. The electric-powered vessel of Mokum Mariteam arrived fully laden and also left with a full cargo. Amsterdam RAI is an early adopter of this sustainable initiative to find alternatives to road transport, reducing transport movements around the RAI and improving air quality and noise in the inner city of Amsterdam.

Decades after having been left to tourists, the Amsterdam canals are now again being used for transporting freight by the company Mokum Mariteam, with boats running on quiet and clean electric engines. Moreover, the just-in-time principle has been applied in detail, as the boats not only bring cargo to its destination, but also take away return goods such as waste in the same efficient, environmentally friendly way. Thanks to its location on the water, Amsterdam RAI is connected directly to Amsterdam’s dense network of waterways, allowing it to make the most of this new possibility.

Clean and quiet freight transport
Electric water transport is an important segment in the CSR policies of Amsterdam RAI. The idea came about thanks to a fruitful cooperation with waste disposal company Icova, one of the founders of Mokum Mariteam, and it soon became clear that this type of clean and quiet freight transport method is ideal for supplying events. Taking into account the collection of return freight, the deployment of the Mokum Mariteam boat takes the place of between five and six city lorries.

Sustainable ambition
Sustainability has long been high on the agenda at Amsterdam RAI. The company’s goal is to become a leader in this field among conference and event organisers within five years. The societal interests of the city and region have always been explicitly taken into account at Amsterdam RAI, where a fundamental assumption is that sustainability adds value to the organisation by attracting more customers and committed employees. Accordingly, Amsterdam RAI is proud of its partnership with Mokum Mariteam – moving freight by canal provides a tangible contribution to a cleaner Amsterdam.