Flemish Minister of Economy visited the Hydrolog project at Antwerp Euroterminal, hydrogen-powered tractors and mobile HRS.
Flemish Minister of Economy Hilde Crevits paid a visit to the Hydrolog project at Antwerp Euroterminal (AET). As a project partner, WaterstofNet made the demonstration of a terminal tractor running on hydrogen possible. “This project shows that switching to hydrogen as an energy carrier can also become a reality in the logistics sector. It will help us to make the emissions from heavy transport more sustainable, ”said Minister Hilde Crevits.
In the Hydrolog project, WaterstofNet and the Flemish Institute for Logistics (VIL) are jointly investigating the possibilities for hydrogen within the intralogistics sector. This ranges from light forklifts to heavy logistics applications, for example in port environments. Hydrogen vehicles in the heaviest segment are still in their infancy, but do offer the most potential because zero-emission alternatives such as batteries are difficult to provide the required workload.
Terberg and Toyota Material Handling
For a period of six weeks, a hydrogen terminal tractor is now being demonstrated in Flanders for the first time. The Terberg tractor is capable of transporting 70 tons of containers on trailers. The hydrogen tractor can operate for up to a shift and a half thanks to the 14 kg of hydrogen on board. You can refuel in 10 minutes and then get back to work with zero emissions. There is also no power loss, even when the hydrogen is low. The tractor is currently in use at AET and will move to PSA Antwerp next week.
A 2.5 ton hydrogen forklift truck from Toyota Material Handling was also deployed at AET. Although these types of devices are rarely used in a port environment because of the limited lifting capacity, the terminal operator was nevertheless able to use the device for the movement of loading and unloading materials. Both the terminal tractor and the forklift exceed the expectations of the end user: the devices more than meet the required workload and moreover in a quiet, flexible and zero-emission manner.
Minister Hilde Crevits refuel the electric terminal tractor with hydrogen from the mobile filling station of WaterstofNet (HydrogenRegio 2.0 project of Interreg Flanders-Netherlands)
Mobile filling station
WaterstofNet makes this demonstration possible by using its mobile filling station . As part of the ‘ Hydrogen Region 2.0 ‘ project (Interreg Flanders-Netherlands), this mobile hydrogen filling point was purchased to enable short-term demonstrations. The filling station delivers hydrogen at a pressure of 350 bar and has an internal storage of 15 kg on board and a compressor. Coupled to an external storage – in this case a tube trailer from Air Liquide – the tractor can refuel quickly.
Rollout in the port environment
“This literally shows that the technology works and can be deployed in real time,” says Adwin Martens, director of WaterstofNet. “Thanks to our mobile filling station, we bring hydrogen applications directly to the end user. Port environments offer enormous potential for hydrogen. Port logistics and shipping will run on hydrogen in the future. It is also the place where large-scale electrolysis and pipeline infrastructure will be rolled out. Hopefully this first H2 terminal tractor will be the starting shot for much more. ”
This project is co-supported by the Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). Project participants are: Aertssen, Air Liquide, Antwerp Euroterminal (AET), Brussels Airport, Delhaize, DEME, Ecosource, Engie Electrabel, Fluxys, Inovyn, Kalmar, Motrac, MPET, POM Limburg, PSA Antwerp, Rentaloc, STILL and Toyota Material Handling.
Source: WaterstofNet
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