Antwerp Terminal Services (ATS) and CMB.TECH launch World’s First Hydrogen Dual Fuel Straddle Carrier
Antwerp Terminal Services (ATS), a joint venture between MSC PSA Europe Terminal (MPET) and PSA Antwerp (PSAA), today officially launched the world’s first H2 dual fuel straddle carrier in the Port of Antwerp during a brief ceremony. Using state-of-the-art H2 dual fuel combustion engine technology, developed by cleantech company CMB.TECH and integrated into a straddle carrier with the support of ATS, the machine runs on a mix of hydrogen and diesel. It can therefore play an important role in reducing terminal greenhouse gas emissions.
Following a 24-month design and development phase, the partners will now start testing the dual fuel straddle carrier’s performance in live operations at PSAA’s Noordzee Terminal. They will evaluate how to improve the design of the equipment, as well as other factors that are necessary to scale up this new technology, including the supply and storage of hydrogen for an entire fleet. This next stage is supported by PIONEERS, a project funded by the EU and coordinated by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. It is part of the Horizon 2020 program which supports and promotes the development of specific solutions to reduce carbon emissions in the port sector, with the aim of transforming ports into green infrastructures by 2050.
