• 2021 September 7 15:24

    Zero Emission Services commences operation

    Zero Emission Services (ZES) commences today with the Alphenaar, the first Dutch inland vessel to use interchangeable energy containers for propulsion. The Alphenaar sails between Alphen aan den Rijn and Moerdijk transporting beer for HEINEKEN, ZES’s first end customer, according to the company's release.

    This makes the commissioning of the innovative ZES energy system for inland shipping a fact. The energy containers – ‘ZESpacks’ – are standard 20ft containers filled with batteries, which are charged with green electricity. The first two ZESpacks are loaded and exchanged at the first charging station at the CCT terminal in Alphen aan den Rijn. ZES’s ambition is to scale up in the short term and aims to realise 30 zero-emission shipping routes by 2030. The company was founded last year by ENGIE, ING, Wärtsilä and the Port of Rotterdam Authority with the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, thereby taking an important step in the transition to emission-free inland shipping.

    Inland shipping plays an important role in reducing environmental emissions. Within the transport sector, inland shipping makes up 5% of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands. In addition, 11% of the total Dutch NOx emissions are caused by inland shipping. To achieve the goals set in the Climate Agreement, the Green Deal for Sea Shipping, Inland Shipping and Ports aim to reduce emissions in inland shipping by 50% by 2030. Achieving this goal requires a transition to fully electrically powered waterborne transport. ZES provides the solution to put this system change into effect; a complete service package based on exchangeable energy containers with green energy, open-access charging infrastructure and a pay-per-use payment concept for vessel owners. The charging stations can act as energy hubs that can stabilise the grid during peak loads and where other vehicles can also charge. Thanks to their mobility, ZESpacks can be used to supply and store energy at all kinds of locations, such as construction sites and festivals.

    ‘The energy concept that ZES is launching on the market contributes directly to the reduction of emissions by saving around 1,000 tonnes of CO2 and 7 tonnes of NOx per vessel per year. In addition, vessels sailing with ZES do not produce particulate matter and noise,’ says Willem Dedden, CEO of ZES. The concept also includes the organisation of the required charging infrastructure and a pay-per-use construction that enables skippers to pay only for the use of energy. The investment in ZESpacks is for ZES’s account. This setup makes ZES very user-friendly and scalable. Dedden: ‘ZES actually offers authorities and companies a ready-made solution for increasing sustainability.’ One of those companies is HEINEKEN, which, together with CCT shipping, is the first ZES customer with a ten-year contract. ZES originated from a Green Circles project to realise a climate-neutral container shuttle between the Heineken brewery in Zoeterwoude and the Port of Rotterdam.

    Wärtsilä, supplier of the first ZESpacks, has been working in recent months on assembling and testing the energy containers, which are equipped with safety and communication systems, and 45 battery modules totalling 2 MWh – comparable to the capacity of around 36 electric cars. The ZESpack is completely tailor-made for ZES. The interchangeability of the containers, which until now have been stationary installations, is particularly unique. The ZESpacks are charged with certified green energy at the first ZES charging station on the Alpherium, CCT’s container terminal in Alphen aan den Rijn. This charging station, developed in by ENGIE, was delivered in April. In July, the Alphenaar was converted and fitted with, among other things, the standard plug connection for receiving the ZESpacks. The first successful sea trail took place at the end of August. With operations up and running, ZES will start gaining user experience to achieve completely emission-free shipping as soon as possible.

    ZES’s ambition is to scale up in the short term to eight vessels, eight loading stations and fourteen ZESpacks. The company aims to realise 30 zero-emission shipping routes by 2030, which can save up to 360,000 tonnes of CO2 and 2,800 tonnes of NOx. In order to really compete with fossil fuels, simultaneous action and commitment from the government, ports and terminals as well as the business community are required. ZES is working closely with national, regional and local authorities and forward-thinking carriers such as BCTN to contract the next vessels and develop the associated network of charging stations, starting in Rotterdam, Moerdijk and Alblasserdam.




2024 March 29

11:20 Sallaum Lines and Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding commence construction of Ocean Class vessels
10:43 Oasis Marine develops solutions for offshore hydrogen bunkering
10:03 Petrofac secures contract extension with ONEgas West in the UK market

2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
09:58 QatarEnergy enters time charter agreements with Nakilat for the operation of 25 LNG vessels

2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market
13:07 First LNG powered vessel calls at HIP