Operator BCTN is testing a second hydrogen barge, the ‘H2 Barge 2’, on a maiden voyage between its terminal on the Albert Canal in Geel and the MPET terminal in the Port of Antwerp. A maximum payload will be used to test consumption, among other things.
In May last year, BCTN already had a world first with the first hydrogen vessel, the ‘H2 Barge 1’, in a scheduled service between Rotterdam and Meerhout. So now there is a second hydrogen barge, which is currently being tested. “We are doing tests with a maximum payload on a maiden trip between Geel and MPET in the port of Antwerp. It is the first time we have sailed a hydrogen ship to the port of Antwerp. The reason we choose the terminal in Geel is that containers with heavier payload are available there. The tonnage is important to know what the vessel’s consumption is with a maximum payload,” explains David Huybrechts, general manager BCTN Belgium.
The ship uses two 40′ containers with hydrogen cylinders, good for 600 kg of hydrogen. With these, we can go back and forth between Meerhout and Rotterdam. Every time the ship makes a stop, a container is swapped for a full one. “Now this is still done via a return system, but in time we want to have hydrogen available closer by. That is why the big chemical companies near our terminal in Meerhout are important,” he says.
No fixed route yet
Huybrechts stresses that this is still a test and not yet a fixed route for this ship. “We may be a pioneer of zero-emission transport, but we remain cautious. Customers need to step into this story with us. The mandatory reports that come down on companies may well make it painfully clear that some customers are not doing well in this area. The use of hydrogen comes at an extra cost and the government could help make the step smaller,” he stresses.
Call
“When the market is not doing as well, there is pressure on costs and sustainability becomes less important for some companies. I want to make another appeal that people should see this as a long-term investment. We too are continuing to invest in this. Witness the fact that this second ship is a different type from the first, with new technology. Meanwhile, the first hydrogen ship has also been to the yard again for an upgrade thanks to new insights,” he explains.
Mission
“We have a mission to lead to zero-emission transport, without fossil fuels. The first electric trucks will be commissioned in Meerhout by the end of 2024, so that we can offer ‘end to end’ zero-emission transport by the end of this year,” Huybrechts concludes.
