Van Oord, in collaboration with ZEDHub, Smart Delta Drechtsteden, the Municipality of Dordrecht, and the Port of Rotterdam, has completed an emission-free dredging pilot project using the Christiaan P crane vessel in the Netherlands.
This fully electrified vessel is a “first for the dredging industry”, offering insights for future sustainable operations.
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The pilot project was conducted at the seaport of Dordrecht and received partial funding from the Regio Deal Drechtsteden-Gorinchem.
The project focused on assessing the practicality of battery-electric dredging. Energy consumption was measured under various operational conditions, including different sailing speeds and dredging intensities.
The research also examined the charging process of the batteries through shore power and the vessel’s generator, as well as the potential for continuous charging using hydrogen.
The trials were “highly successful”, with all tests indicating positive outcomes, according to Van Oord .
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By GlobalDataThe gathered data is currently under analysis, with the findings expected to benefit not only the company but the entire industry, added Van Oord.
These insights will be crucial in rolling out additional zero-emission projects, aligning with broader sustainability goals.
Christiaan P, operated by Van Oord’s subsidiary Paans Van Oord, underwent modifications for the pilot project.
Its conventional engines were replaced with electric motors, and the crane was upgraded to an electric model, enabling emission-free operations.
For the duration of the pilot, the vessel utilised two 870kWh DENS Powerhub mobile battery systems. These batteries were charged overnight using the shore power facility provided by the Municipality of Dordrecht.
Additionally, a Nexus fuel cell and a hydrogen storage container were installed onboard to ensure the batteries could be charged when shore power is unavailable.
Paans Van Oord manager Cor Paans said: “We are extremely proud of our engineering team who prepared and carried out this pilot project. Thanks to their expert preparation, everything worked flawlessly.
“That was also thanks to close cooperation with the supply companies (DENS, Nexus Energy and Roger Energy) and the cooperating partners.”
In 2022, Van Oord received Vox Apolonia, the second of three dual-fuel dredgers from Keppel FELS, featuring energy-efficient, LNG-capable operations.
