27SEP2019 - NEWS - Port of Antwerp Orders Hydrogen-Powered Tug

The Port of Antwerp has commissioned the construction of the world's first hydrogen-powered tugboat, and there will be no fuel cells on board. The design is powered by combustion engines that run on hydrogen in combination with diesel. These will be ultra-low-emissions engines meeting EU Stage V, making them among the cleanest on the market, according to the port.

The new tug builds on technology popularized by Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB), the storied Antwerp-based shipping company held by the Saverys family. In 2017, CMB debuted a small passenger catamaran powered by hydrogen-fueled Volvo Penta diesel engines. The new catamaran - Hydroville - is in service as a small ferry for CMB's own staff along the River Scheldt in Antwerp. It runs on hydrogen sourced locally by industrial supplier Air Liquide in Lillo, Belgium.