World’s first newbuild hydrogen-powered inland shipping vessel now in operation
Images and details of the world’s first newbuild hydrogen-powered inland shipping vessel have been revealed.
The Antoine, ordered at Concordia Damen by Dutch owner Lenten Scheepvaart, has been put into operation following successful sea trials. The ship now awaits the installation of a distribution panel to work in conjunction with the already installed hydrogen fuel cell.
The dry cargo vessel will transport salt for Nobian, a European firm in the production of essential chemicals for various industries. For years, Lenten Scheepvaart has been shipping salt from Delfzijl to the Nobian plant in the Botlek. The company turns this salt into chlor-alkali, among other things, with hydrogen as a residual product. The hydrogen produced in the chlor-alkali production process will soon form the clean fuel for the Antonie. A hydrogen bunker station has now been built in Delfzijl with a subsidy.
On Tuesday, the Dutch king visited the ship in Duisburg as part of an economic hydrogen mission to Germany.
The use of hydrogen in the Dutch maritime industry is currently in the spotlight and there are several developments in the field of hydrogen production, storage and use, initiated both by research institutes and grant providers and by start-ups and established companies.
