Dutch Expand Emission-Free Inland Shipping with Swappable Battery Packs
Zero Emission Services (ZES), working in collaboration with Nefcargo and Inland Terminals Group, highlighted the launch of its ZES 2.0 service for electric-powered inland cargo shipping. The next phase of the program provides more powerful containerized batteries for the inland ships, which will provide a more economical model for the industry.
The 2.0 Zespacks are swappable battery containers. The company rolled out swapping stations on September 17 at Alphen aan den Rijn, Alblasserdam, and Den Bosch in the Netherlands. It reports that more terminals will soon follow in Rotterdam, Moerdijk, and Nijmegen, with the goal of establishing a robust network that makes battery-electric inland shipping more accessible.
The vessels swap the batteries instead of having to wait longer periods to recharge their power systems. It expedites shipping. They also only pay for the power used, which ZES says makes battery-electric sailing financially more attractive. A subsidy scheme is also available for shipowners converting to battery power.
The first vessel to adopt the exchangeable battery containers is the Den Bosch Max Groen. It was built by Concordia Damen and delivered in January 2021 as the second of two electric-powered inland cargo ships. Both vessels are 90 meters long and 11.5 meters wide (approximately 295 x 38 feet), with the shipbuilder highlighting that the dimensions are the maximum required to pass through the locks of the Dieze Canal at Engelen. Using an innovative design, they were able to give each vessel a capacity of 132 TEU, which is 24 more TEUs than the previous inland vessels.
The first phase of the battery-powered shipping was launched as a partnership to transport cargo for the beer company Heineken. Nedcargo transports approximately 2.5 billion bottles of Heineken beer annually to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. The battery-powered operation cuts CO2 emissions by 800 tonnes per year.
The vessel will be operating between Den Bosch and the Port of Rotterdam. The trip is approximately 60 miles in each direction.
ITG highlights that the new battery operation is part of its broader scheme to transition. Eduard Backer, CEO of ITG, explains, “Alongside this battery-electric vessel, our group also operates a hydrogen-powered ship. Hydrogen is suited to longer distances, while battery containers are ideal for shorter shuttle services. Waterborne transport is the path to a lower footprint. And with the upcoming CO2 levy (ETS-2), this will also bring financial benefits for shippers.”