Cargill is currently operating Kotug’s E-Pusher and E-Barges, the world’s first zero-emission pusher and barge combination in the world. The solution is used to transport cocoa beans from the Port of Amsterdam to Cargill’s cocoa factory in Zaandam.
True to maritime tradition, the E-Pusher 1 was christened on 8 June by Marieke Taal, manager of operations at Cargill, to wish the vessel and its crew a safe journey.
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Zero emission
The pusher and barge combination is essential and efficient for transporting goods by water from the port to the hinterland. Cargill is the first company in the world to commission a fully electrified pushboat and barge for inland waterway transport, making both pollutant emissions and noise pollution of traditional pusher craft a thing of the past.
The emission-free vessel, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and advanced propulsion systems, is completely free of harmful emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). The electric pushers and barges are expected to reduce CO2 emissions during transport by 190 tonnes a year, which is the equivalent of 15,000 trips of the same distance by truck.
Also read: Kotug develops zero-emission E-Pusher tug
The E-Pusher 1 will sail on green electricity from the wind farm that Cargill and Vattenfall operate together with Windpark Hanze.
‘The revolutionary design of this pusher/barge combination is in line with our mission to provide sustainable solutions to the maritime sector,’ says Ard-Jan Kooren, President & CEO of Kotug International. ‘With this launch, we want to inspire as many parties as possible to embrace clean energy solutions and take further steps towards achieving the global climate goals for a liveable world.’
The picture at the top is a still from the video below.