Port of Antwerp-Bruges & CMB.TECH launch the Hydrotug 1, world’s first hydrogen-powered tugboat
Port of Antwerp-Bruges and CMB.TECH announce today a world first: the Hydrotug 1, the first hydrogen-powered tugboat, is ready for operation in the Antwerp port area.
This ground-breaking development will play a crucial role in Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ efforts to green its fleet and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. With the Hydrotug 1, CMB.TECH reaffirms its international leadership role in the transition to environmentally friendly fuel-powered ships.
The Hydrotug 1 is the first tugboat in the world to be powered by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with traditional fuel. It is the first vessel that uses the BeHydro V12 dual fuel medium speed engines – each providing 2 megawatts – with the latest EU Stage V emissions aftertreatment. With these engines, the vessel uses clean fuels, resulting in an overall reduction of 65% of traditional fuel consumption and associated emissions in the tugboat’s overall cycle. The Hydrotug 1 can store 415kg of compressed hydrogen in 6 stillages installed on deck and eliminates the emission's equivalent of 350 cars per year.
The Hydrotug 1 is the world's largest hydrogen-powered vessel and it is “made in Europe”! We are delighted and grateful to have the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as our partner. Port of Antwerp-Bruges shares the same commitment as CMB.TECH to decarbonizing shipping and showcasing technology that can be scaled. The Hydrotug 1 is another big step towards zero-carbon shipping and proves that there is a vibrant energy transition industry in Antwerp, Belgium and Europe.
Hydrogen is one of the keys to an economy and society with minimum impact on the environment. As such it is one of the fuels of the future. Port of Antwerp-Bruges aims to develop its potential to the full, committing itself as an active pioneer in the hydrogen economy on a European scale. The ecosystem represented by the port platform is an ideal testbed for this technology on a large scale. In this way we seek to be a source of inspiration and to set an example for other ports.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges aims to position itself as a green energy gate to Europe, with a focus on hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source for vessels. The Hydrotug 1 is a significant step towards achieving this goal, as it is capable of running on both hydrogen and traditional fuel, demonstrating the potential for a transition to clean energy in the shipping industry.
Check out the 2D visualisation of the Hydrotug 1!
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On Thursday, 27 October, the Hydrotug arrived in the port of Ostend. Here, the first hydrogen-powered tugboat will be further finished with the hydrogen system. Ostend was chosen because the tug can use the hydrogen bunkering facilities of CMB.TECH's Hydrocat 48 there.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges and CMB.TECH will soon welcome the Hydrotug, the first hydrogen-powered tugboat. The Hydrotug consists of two BeHydro V12 dual fuel medium speed engines that can run on hydrogen and traditional fuel. This ground-breaking development will be used by Port of Antwerp-Bruges as an important step in the transition to a sustainable, climate neutral port by 2050 and will be operational in the first quarter of 2023.