A charging and storage pontoon for flow batteries in the Hartelkanaal constructed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority and PortLiner.
From this bunkering station, PortLiner will supply electrically powered inland vessels with flow batteries. Construction is set to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, with completion of the Netherlands’ first electrolyte bunkering station expected in Q1 of 2024.
The Hartelkanaal was chosen as the site in the port of Rotterdam. The pontoon is to be supplied with green power (wind energy) from Greenchoice’s adjacent wind farm.
In flow batteries, electricity is charged in a liquid (electrolyte). On board a ship, the electricity is then extracted from the liquid and used to propel the ship. The discharged electrolyte is then exchanged for charged electrolyte and the discharged electrolyte is recharged.
Within the Dutch transport sector, inland shipping is responsible for 5 percent of carbon emissions. So by transitioning to electric power, the inland shipping industry is making an important contribution to more sustainable shipping.
