Over the next 30 years, the Netherlands will be faced with the challenges of making its economy and society more or less CO2 – neutral. The Port of Rotterdam Authority aims to play a pioneering role in this development and turn the port into a shining example for the worldwide energy transition. And naturally, it will be putting a strong focus on the development, and large-scale implementation, of methods to dial back the carbon emissions of its industrial and logistics sectors to virtually zero. But we are also looking into all sorts of other avenues for possible improvement. That is why the Port Authority's newest patrol boat will actually be a hybrid vessel. After all, the best approach is to lead by example…
The new 'RPA 8' is presently still under construction at the shipyard of the Kooiman Group in Zwijndrecht, a town just outside Rotterdam. At the end of September, the 25-metre long patrol boat will be succeeding the 'RPA 3', which is nearing the end of its technical and economic lifespan. The key innovation found on board the new patrol vessel is its parallel hybrid propulsion system, built by Hybrid Ship Propulsion BV. This allows for efficient patrolling at low speeds and a lower number of operational hours.
