Innovation in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges with sustainable tugboats

Project Manager

The project is responsible for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges authority and Damen Shipyards Group, the Dutch company that built the tugboats.

Project description

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has integrated six innovative tugboats into its fleet with the aim of increasing energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of its operations.

Among the new additions is the Volta 1, Europe’s first all-electric RSD (Reversed Stern Drive) tug, designed according to the double-bow principle, allowing it to be used dynamically as a front or rear tug, which completely eliminates emissions during its operations and is capable of safely guiding larger ships to port. It stands out for its pulling capacity of 70 tonnes and batteries that can be fully recharged in just two hours thanks to a 1.5 MW charging station.

The other five diesel tugs incorporated into the port feature innovative advanced gas treatment systems and an energy-efficient design that contribute to reduced emissions and fuel consumption.

The six new tugboats, built by Damen Shipyards in Vietnam, were transported to Belgium and will soon enter the phase of technical preparation, operational tests and crew training, including the commissioning of Volta 1 with the new cargo infrastructure installed in the port’s Operational Nautical Cluster.

This incorporation is part of a comprehensive fleet renewal and sustainability programme, which seeks to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions associated with port operations by 85%, thus consolidating the position of the Port of Anvers-Bruges as an economic engine of Flanders and a leader in the energy transition.

Project objectives

This project aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of towing operations in the port of Antwerp-Bruges through six new tugboats that contribute to reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact, one of them fully electric and the other five equipped with advanced systems for the treatment of gas emissions.

This incorporation is part of the Port’s comprehensive fleet renewal and sustainability programme, contributing to international climate objectives and positioning the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a benchmark in the adoption of energy-efficient solutions aligned with the future of the maritime industry.