Posted on March 25, 2019
‘Developing Antwerp as a Multi Fuel Port can be an inspiring example for other energy transition projects worldwide,’ acques Vandermeiren, CEO, Antwerp Port Authority told delegates at the inaugural Maritime Energy Transition Forum organised by Petrospot.
Vandermeiren told delegates that the Port of Antwerp would invest €35 million in innovative energy transition projects for the port platform over the next three years.
He noted that ‘open communication and collaboration’ between stakeholders will be crucial in facilitating the shipping industry to move beyond its dependence on fossil fuels.
Vandermeiren said: ‘If the shipping industry wants to reach its goals by 2030, it will not be possible with the fuels of today. With our multifuel project we want to operationalise LNG further, as a transition fuel.’
Vandermeiren revealed that the Antwerp Port Authority was already in dialogue with different concessions to look at shared win opportunities for vessel-to-vessel and/or truck-to-vessel bunkering.
‘I mentioned LNG as a transition fuel because this is not the end game,’ he explained. ‘We envision to integrate hydrogen, electrification and methanol in our fuel market on a short-term basis.’
Vandermeiren also said that showcasing the feasibility of shore power for deep-sea vessels and drafting the framework for a further rollout of shore power infrastructure in the wider port area would allow large moored vessels to turn off their ship engines and switch to local power provisions.
‘Lessening these harmful emissions will hugely benefit the local air quality,’ said Vandermeiren. ‘This commitment will not just strengthen the position of Antwerp as a pioneer within the Hamburg-Le Havre range but will simultaneously support shipping companies at tackling their emission challenges.’
Barges have been able to use shore power infrastructure in Antwerp for some time and Vandermeiren revealed that the port’s own fleet has been actively using the facility since last year. However, for seagoing vessels, he said there is still too little infrastructure.
‘Shore power can play an important role in the energy transition of our port platform,’ he said. ‘Therefore, we pushed forward the development of shore power as a strategic priority for the next years.’
Vandermeiren also highlighted other technological segments, which he said harbour potential for the shipping energy transition.
‘The port of the future will be a smart port, with the emphasis on digitisation,’ he said. ‘The Port Authority has therefore assumed a pioneering role in digital transformation, aimed at becoming an open and innovative hub for the introduction of new technologies.’
Vandermeiren said it was the Antwerp Port Authority’s ambition is to install a ‘digital nervous system’ covering the entire port with smart cameras, sensors and drones to give full monitoring. Which will make it possible to respond directly to events in the port. In addition, data is being made transparent and available to all players in the supply chain thanks to NxtPort, the data platform for the port that was set up nearly two years ago.
‘Data is big and the efficiency gains we seek to derive from it, even bigger. We will build further on the existing foundations with NxtPort,’ said Vandermeiren. ‘An increased participation in NxtPort underlines our determination. We strongly believe that digitisation will smoothen the path for smart, efficient and lower-cost logistics. More importantly, that it will play an even bigger role in terms of mobility and monitoring emissions.’
Source: bunkerspot.com
