The first hydrogen-powered tugboat is prepared for operation within the Antwerp port space. Developed in a partnership between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the Savery household’s CMB.TECH, the vessel is reported to be the biggest vessel presently able to working solely on hydrogen. It might be used each as a take a look at vessel and an indication of the potential for hydrogen as a marine gasoline.

CEO of the port authority Jacques Vandermeiren highlights that the port with its numerous ecosystem and operations is “an ideal test bed” for this know-how on a big scale. After spending the previous few months in Antwerp present process remaining testing and certification by Lloyd’s, the vessel referred to as Hydrotug 1 might be in full operation on the port in 2024.

The mission was first introduced in 2019 and designed to make use of a combustion engine as an alternative of gasoline cells to show the potential for hydrogen as a marine gasoline. It is the primary vessel that makes use of the BeHydro V12 twin gasoline medium pace engines. The vessel, which is 98 ft (30 meters) in size, has two of the two MW V12 engines and is a tractor tug with 65-ton bollard pull capabilities. 

The Hydrotug 1 can retailer 415kg of compressed hydrogen in six stillages put in on deck. The capability will give the vessel 24 hours of operation.

Hydrotug 1 two dual-fuel engines that may burn hydrogen or standard gasoline 

The order to construct the tug went to the Armón Shipyards in Navia, Spain the place it was launched on May 16, 2022. A yr in the past, they transferred the vessel to Belgium, selecting Oostende because the port already had hydrogen services as it’s the homeport for CMB.TECH’s Hydrocat 48, the primary hydrogen-powered offshore crew switch vessel. The tug was present process outfitting, together with the set up of its distinctive engines, and preliminary testing whereas in Oostende earlier than arriving in Antwerp on October 23. The mission nevertheless is a few yr behind the initially anticipated schedule as they handled the pandemic and challenges in executing the ideas for the primary tug.

Speaking throughout at present’s christening ceremony, Alexander Saverys highlighted that the mission reaffirms CMB.TECH’s dedication to main the worldwide transition to environmentally-friendly fuel-power ships. The household is pushing ahead in all segments of its enterprise with hydrogen and ammonia tasks. They lately expanded their order with Damen for the primary hydrogen dual-fuel Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV) for the offshore wind business. They are additionally shifting ahead with bulkers and now giant crude oil tankers after having gained full management of Euronav.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges, nevertheless, remains to be exploring a variety of recent applied sciences because it appears to be like to seek out one of the best options to decarbonize port operations. In a parallel mission, they’re commissioning the primary methanol-fueled tug in 2024. They additionally lately ordered the development of a battery-electric tug from Damen.