The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced the official launch of the Volta 1, which marks a significant milestone as Europe’s first fully electric tugboat. This innovative vessel was developed in collaboration with Damen Shipyards, reports Container News.
Cutting Edge Technology
The Volta 1 is a cutting-edge Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) tugboat, engineered with a double bow design and featuring a patented Twin Fin skeg. This innovative configuration provides exceptional stability and maneuverability, allowing it to function flexibly as both a front and back tugboat.
Equipped with a substantial battery capacity of 2,782 MWh, the Volta 1 can be fully recharged in as little as two hours using a powerful 1.5 MW charging station. This enables the tugboat to operate completely emission-free and cruise for up to 12 hours. Despite its electric propulsion, it boasts a formidable towing power of 70 tons, matching the performance of conventional diesel tugboats.
The introduction of the Volta 1 is part of a larger initiative to renew the tugboat fleet, which also includes five energy-efficient RSD tugs. This significant transition represents a profound “greening” of tug services, a sector responsible for nearly 85% of port-related CO₂ emissions. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is systematically integrating the most environmentally friendly technologies as part of its ambitious goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
As the world’s fifth-largest bunker port, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is also committed to becoming a full-fledged multi-fuel port. To this end, it aims to offer a range of low-carbon alternatives in addition to its existing bio- and conventional fuels. Over the past eighteen months, the Belgian port has notably introduced the world’s first hydrogen-powered and methanol-powered tugs. By field-testing these diverse technologies concurrently, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges seeks to determine which solution performs best across key metrics including emissions, cost, autonomy, and overall performance.
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Source: Container News
