A hydrogen Terminal Tractor is under development by Atena within the framework of the H2PORTS project.
The vehicle will be powered by a fuel cell supplied by clean energy experts Ballard and is scheduled to be tested for two years in real operations after it arrives at Valencia Terminal Europa (VALTE) in Valenciaport.
Refuelling will be done through mobile Hydrogen Refuelling Stations, developed by CNH2. These guarantee the supply of this fuel in suitable conditions both for this pilot and for the Reach Stacker that will be provided at the MSCTV terminal, also powered by fuel cells.
Utilising its fuel cell battery, the vehicle is able to perform all the intensive tasks that are required during Ro-Ro operations.
The hydrogen storage system, made of four Type 3 cylinders, has an overall capacity of around 12kg, which guarantees a continuous operation of at least six hours before refuelling, corresponding to the average duration of a working shift.
The electric motor is a light and efficient device, suitable for power demanding applications and fed by a high-performance LiFePO4 battery, with 25kWh energy capacity, and a 70kW Ballard fuel cell module.
Furthermore, this motor can receive traction from the fuel cell and battery simultaneously or change the battery during braking or decelerations.
Overall, this hybrid powertrain shows high operational efficiency, taking advantage of a significant share of kinetic energy recovery, up to 15 per cent.
“Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier with the benefits of easy storage and when used produces no emissions other than heat and water. The hydrogen fuel cell converts H2 to electricity resulting in zero-emission equipment that, if combined with the use of green hydrogen, is also carbon-neutral,” said H2PORTS in a statement.
“The technology shows some advantages compared to other available zero-emission technologies like pure electric visions. This hydrogen version also shows a good operating range, short fueling tome and low maintenance cost.”
One further initiative under development as part of the H2PORTS project is the hydrogen Reach Stacker, developed by Hyster.
This Reach Stacker is also powered by fuel cells and is currently being tested over two years in real-life operations at the MSC Terminal Valencia.
