The European Union (EU) has set the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport by 80% by 2050. One of the alternatives recommended by the EU is the use of carbon-free hydrogen. It is with this in mind that the Belgian company CMB.Tech inaugurated this week in the port of Antwerp, Hydrotug 1the world’s first hydrogen-powered tugboat.
2 mins
Welcome aboard. The particularity of this boat is 30 meters long, 12 meters wide at the front. This is an engine that runs on diesel but also on hydrogen. It is contained in 54 bottles. “ It is a hybrid engine that runs 100% on diesel or diesel and a mixture of hydrogen, explainsAlexandre Saverys, CEO of the company CMB.Tech at the origin of the project. This is the first time that it has been proven that a tugboat can run on hydrogen. This is the solution for the future if we want to green the maritime sector, we will have to switch to green molecules based on green hydrogen. »
A solution for the future but far from perfect, because hydrogen remains heavy to transport, not to mention that the supply is far from sufficient. “ We start with small ships, continues Alexandre Saverys. LInternational rules require each sector or industry to reduce its greenhouse gases. The maritime sector faces many laws, treaties and rules which force us, by 2030-2040-2050, to reduce our CO2 emissions. And it goes without saying that our customers push us to develop new technologies to achieve this goal. »
Carbon neutrality
This hydrogen ship also partly meets the objectives of the CEO of the Port of Antwerp, Jacques Vendermeiren, namely to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050: “ It’s a small drop. We try to be the platform where we can test this innovation and we try to get everyone who wants and who believes in a technology to follow us. »
But be careful, hydrogen is far from being the miracle solution for decarbonizing maritime transport. In a reportthe Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe) adds that a reduction in global traffic remains essential.