Six energy-efficient tugboats, including the revolutionary Volta 1, have arrived at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Volta 1 is reportedly Europe’s first electric tugboat. This tugboat is emission-free, with a 70-tonne bollard pull and strong batteries that can be fully recharged in two hours using a 1.5 MW charging station.
In addition to the Volta 1, five diesel-powered tugboats landed in Antwerp on 28 November.
All six vessels are of the Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) type, with a dual-bow design that makes them extremely agile and flexible for both forward and reverse towing operations.
Damen Shipyards Group began building the tugboats in 2023, after an order from the Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority.
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The tugboats, built at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, went through lengthy commissioning, port testing, and sea trials after being launched between April and August of this year.
In October, the vessels were put onto the heavy-lift ship, Jumbo Kinetic, known for delivering outstanding cargo.
On 28 November, the tugboats landed safely in Antwerp after a voyage of nearly 10,000 kilometres, including stops in Singapore and Las Palmas.
In the next months, the vessels will be readied for full deployment in the port, including technical start-up, crew training, and Volta 1 testing, in combination with new charging infrastructure established at the Nautical Operational Cluster.
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The Port Authority’s extensive greening initiative includes six new tugboats. This effort aims to renew and sustain the fleet, which generates almost 85 per cent of port-related CO2 emissions.
These new tugboats, along with previous efforts like the Hydrotug (the first hydrogen-powered tugboat) and the Methatug (the first methanol-powered tugboat), highlight the port’s creative approach.
Rob Smeets, Chief Operations Officer of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “With this new generation of energy-efficient tugboats, we take a significant step forward in our transition to a climate-neutral fleet.”
