Some call it the ‘Tesla of the canals’, but what is it? Well to put it simply, it is an unmanned barge that will operate on Dutch and Belgian waterways. It hardly needs to be said that this new barge will vastly reduce diesel emissions and bring about a cleaner and more eco-friendly future!
The world’s first fully electric, emission-free and potentially crewless container barges are to operate from the ports of Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam from this summer.
The vessels, designed to fit beneath bridges as they transport their goods around the inland waterways of Belgium and the Netherlands, are expected to vastly reduce the use of diesel-powered trucks for moving freight.
Everyday I'm amazed at how far electric vehicular technology has come. I remember just a few weeks back writing about the first fully electric semi-truck to hit the market from Tesla. I've also written about electric flying cars and motorbikes if you'd like to get a look at some of my other electric articles!
This barge is definitely a step in the right direction and environment lovers across the world will agree that reducing the use of diesel-powered trucks should be high on the to-do list of sustainability efforts.
Dubbed the “Tesla of the canals”, their electric motors will be driven by 20-foot batteries, charged on shore by the carbon-free energy provider Eneco.
The barges are designed to operate without any crew, although the vessels will be manned in their first period of operation as new infrastructure is erected around some of the busiest inland waterways in Europe.
Amazing technology has been incorporated into this new barge indeed! Can you imagine? It has been made possible by 20-foot batteries! Also the fact that they have been made to be operated without human intervention is a technological marvel in itself!
In August, five barges - 52 metres long and 6.7m wide, and able to carry 24 20ft containers weighing up to 425 tonnes - will be in operation. They will be fitted with a power box giving them 15 hours of power. As there is no need for a traditional engine room, the boats have up to 8% extra space, according to their Dutch manufacturer, Port Liner.
About 23,000 trucks, mainly running on diesel, are expected to be removed from the roads as a result.
These are huge barges! They will contribute to bringing about a cleaner future. As stated above 23,000 trucks will be taken off the road as a result of this new electric fleet of cargo barges! What a time to be alive eh?
Ton van Meegen the company’s chief executive, told shipping industry trade journal the Loadstar that the barges are the first in the world to sail on carbon-neutral batteries and that without the low bridges in the countries they operate in, they would even be able to be loaded with more goods.
I completely love this new initiative to introduce clean carbon-neutral vessels which will actually play a positive impact in our world by making it a cleaner and more sustainable place to live!
What do you guys think of this news? Are you impressed with these new electric barges? Do you think we will see other countries developing and putting into use similar vessels in the near future?
Source:
World's first electric container barges to sail from European ports this summer - The Guardian
Image Source:
The Guardian