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2024 November 29   14:57

Antwerp welcomes six new energy-efficient tugboats

Six energy-efficient tugboats, including the groundbreaking Volta 1, have arrived in the Antwerp port, according to the company's release.

The Volta 1, Europe’s first fully electric RSD tugboat, exemplifies the port’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. With a bollard pull of 70 tons and powerful batteries that can fully recharge in just two hours via a 1.5 MW charging station, this tugboat is completely emission-free.

In addition to the Volta 1, five diesel-powered tugboats also arrived in Antwerp today. All six vessels are of the RSD (Reversed Stern Drive) type, designed with a dual-bow principle, making them exceptionally maneuverable and versatile for both forward and backward towing operations. Thanks to an advanced exhaust gas after-treatment system and energy-efficient design, the new vessels contribute to reducing emissions and fuel consumption.

Damen Shipyards Group began construction of the tugboats in 2023, following the order from the Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority. Built at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, the tugboats underwent extensive commissioning, port tests, and sea trials after their launch between April and August this year. In October, the vessels were loaded onto the heavy-lift ship Jumbo Kinetic, renowned for transporting exceptional cargo. After a journey of more than 10,000 kilometers, with stopovers in Singapore and Las Palmas, the tugboats safely arrived in Antwerp today.

In the coming months, the vessels will be prepared for full deployment in the port, including technical start-up, crew training, and testing of the Volta 1 in collaboration with new charging infrastructure installed at the Nautical Operational Cluster (NOC).

The six new tugboats are part of the comprehensive greening program of the Port Authority. This initiative focuses on the renewal and sustainability of the fleet, which accounts for nearly 85% of port-related CO₂ emissions. Together with earlier projects like the Hydrotug (the first hydrogen-powered tugboat) and the Methatug (the first methanol-powered tugboat), these new tugboats underline the port’s innovative approach. 

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