THE Port of Antwerp has announced that seagoing ships belonging to Independent Container Line (ICL) will from now on be able to use the shore-based electricity supply while at berth, demonstrating that an "important step forward in the fight against port-related air pollution" has been taken at this major European gateway.
The use of the cold-ironing technique will mean that the vessels will be able to turn off "their polluting onboard engines to generate power" and switch to the shoreside supply, a statement from port authorities said.
"The environmental impact of this investment is direct, local and significant as regards among other things emissions of NOx, CO2 and particulates," the statement said.
The programme was launched with Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters operating the switch to shoreside power supplies for the first ICL vessel.
The port already provides shoreside power for barges, as well as the port authority's tug and dredger fleet, floating cranes and dry dock complex. Soon also it will be supplied to pleasure craft and houseboats. Until now, however, it has not been available to seagoing ships, "the segment which in view of its size has the most powerful effect on environmental performance," port authorities said.
This latest trial project is a collaboration between Independent Maritime Terminal (IMT), the Port Authority and the Flemish Community. The IMT terminal has as a result been dedicated to ICL, which has already equipped three of its four ships to make use of this shoreside power supply.
The Port Authority said that using shoreside power facilities cuts CO2 emissions by more than half and NOx emissions by as much as 97 per cent, while CO2 emissions are practically eliminated. These reductions also make an important contribution towards combating the greenhouse effect.
The total investment cost of the shoreside power facilities amounts to EUR1.11 million (US$1.52 million) with IMT receiving financial support from the Port Authority and the Flemish Community.
The use of the cold-ironing technique will mean that the vessels will be able to turn off "their polluting onboard engines to generate power" and switch to the shoreside supply, a statement from port authorities said.
"The environmental impact of this investment is direct, local and significant as regards among other things emissions of NOx, CO2 and particulates," the statement said.
The programme was launched with Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters operating the switch to shoreside power supplies for the first ICL vessel.
The port already provides shoreside power for barges, as well as the port authority's tug and dredger fleet, floating cranes and dry dock complex. Soon also it will be supplied to pleasure craft and houseboats. Until now, however, it has not been available to seagoing ships, "the segment which in view of its size has the most powerful effect on environmental performance," port authorities said.
This latest trial project is a collaboration between Independent Maritime Terminal (IMT), the Port Authority and the Flemish Community. The IMT terminal has as a result been dedicated to ICL, which has already equipped three of its four ships to make use of this shoreside power supply.
The Port Authority said that using shoreside power facilities cuts CO2 emissions by more than half and NOx emissions by as much as 97 per cent, while CO2 emissions are practically eliminated. These reductions also make an important contribution towards combating the greenhouse effect.
The total investment cost of the shoreside power facilities amounts to EUR1.11 million (US$1.52 million) with IMT receiving financial support from the Port Authority and the Flemish Community.