The first hydrogen-driven electric inland ship in The Netherlands, 2022
On March 30, 2022, Minister Harbers of Infrastructure and Public Works (I&W) officially opened the construction of the MS Antonie, the first hydrogen-driven electric inland ship in the Netherlands. The vessel will transport approximately 3,700 tons of salt per voyage from Nobian’s salt plant in Delfzijl to its chlor-alkali electrolysis plant in Rotterdam. That is the equivalent of 120 trucks, entirely emission-free.
Nobian produces green hydrogen in the Netherlands both in Delfzijl and Rotterdam and the project showcases how this can enable reduced emissions when transporting goods using large inland shipping fleets. It also contributes to our Scope 3 emission reduction targets.
The ship’s propulsion is based on the fuel cell technology of Nedstack which has been tested for many years at Nobian’s production site in Delfzijl. Hydrogen is a by-product of chlorine and caustic soda production. The first of its kind, the construction of the MS Antonie focuses on safety and the deployment of the regulatory framework to enable large-scale use of green hydrogen in inland shipping.
The vessel’s hull arrived at Rotterdam harbor from China in February 2023 to be fitted with the technologies, and the ship is expected to embark on its maiden voyage in mid-2023. The project is seen as an important first step to realize the European goal of emission-free inland shipping by 2050 and is is the result of a partnership between Nobian, Lenten Scheepvaart, HyEnergy TransStore, and the inland ship cooperative NPRC. The additional costs for the development and propulsion outfitting of this 135m-long ship are covered by both regional and national Dutch and European funds.