PSA Antwerp will be participating in the trial of a Terberg hydrogen-powered tractor and mobile hydrogen filling stations at its Europa Terminal.
The tractor arrived in early May, with a carrying capacity of up to 36 tonnes. The test, lasting two weeks, is part of a Hydrolog project.
Hydrolog is a demonstrator set up by the Flanders Institute for Logistics (VIL) to research internal hydrogen transport vehicles for the industry.
PSA Antwerp’s carbon emissions are produced mainly from diesel-operated equipment such as straddle carriers, terminal tractors and other terminal vehicles.
As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), the company’s long term aim is to significantly decrease Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Particle Matters (PM) at its terminals.
The experience gained from the trial will be put towards further terminal decarbonisation pilots.
On 4 May 2021, the European Horizon 2020 Green Deal Call awarded the Program a grant as part of the PIONEERS consortium.
The grant will allow PSA Antwerp to realise two more demonstrator projects: exploring the injection of up to 90% of hydrogen into the straddle carrier’s combustion engine; and testing the performance of a straddle carrier equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell.
The company has also put in place a Climate Response Management System to align its initiatives, with focus on four key areas: GHG and air quality, renewable energy, water conservation and waste reduction
Elsewhere at PSA Antwerp, the terminal’s electrical energy usage is drawn fully from renewable sources; and the port has invested in 15 new electric forklifts for operations.
The maritime industry is rapidly diving into the world of hydrogen-powered equipment: Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL) has announced a partnership with Mitsui E&S Machinery to study the introduction of hydrogen-fuelled cargo handling equipment into ports.
