Port of Antwerp-Bruges launches Europe’s first electric tugboat
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has launched Europe's first fully electric tugboat. The Volta 1 arrived in the Antwerp port area from Vietnam late last year, but has now been deployed on the water. Earlier, the port also began using tugboats powered by methanol and hydrogen.
The port has about 20 tugboats in its fleet, which assist other vessels when mooring or casting off or during complex manoeuvres. They are responsible for significant carbon emissions and the port wants to phase out all tugboats using diesel.
The Volta 1 has a towing power of 70 tonnes, enabling it to achieve the same performance as a traditional diesel tug. Its batteries take two hours to charge, after which the vessel can sail for 12 hours.
“In the past year and a half, we introduced the world's first hydrogen and methanol-powered tugs,” the port authority said. “By testing these technologies side by side in practice, we can determine which solution scores best in terms of emissions, cost, autonomy and performance.”
“As a global port, we're assuming our responsibility to pull the maritime sector into the energy transition"
According to CEO Jacques Vandermeiren, the Volta 1 is a good example of the strategy to actively integrate sustainable technology. “As a global port, we're assuming our responsibility to pull the maritime sector into the energy transition,” he said.
About half of the 20 tugs deployed by the port authority are more or less “green” today. Eight diesel tugs use a system that reduces their emissions by 40 per cent. There is also the tug running on hydrogen, one on grey methanol and one on electricity.
#FlandersNewsService | Europe's first fully electric tugboat, the Volta 1, at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS /VIDEO PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES
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