Rijkswaterstaat has selected three consortia to move forward in the next phase of the Power2Tow tender. The project will deliver three near-zero-emission Emergency Response Towing Vessels (ERTVs) for the North Sea, along with charging infrastructure on land and at sea, and a 25-year service contract.
The selected consortia are:
- Kustkracht: Kotug International, IHC Defence and Bluewater Energy Services
- Multraship Ocean Towage, Damen Shipbuilding & Cooperation and Stillstrom
- Smit Terminals Europe and Smit Salvage
Rijkswaterstaat, which is responsible for the design, construction, management and maintenance of the Netherlands’ primary infrastructure facilities, has now invited these parties to submit an initial proposal.
Also read: Rijksrederij wants electric emergency tugs for the North Sea
Electric and green methanol
An ERTV is an emergency tug deployed along the Dutch coast to tow or stabilise vessels in distress, for example during storms or technical failures. The new generation of ERTVs will make a major contribution to reducing the ecological footprint of shipping.
They will operate largely on electric power, significantly cutting CO2 emissions. During emergency towing operations, the vessels will switch from electric propulsion to green methanol, allowing them to tow with greater power. Green methanol is a sustainable fuel produced from biomass or captured CO2 combined with green hydrogen.
Charging infrastructure
With Power2Tow, Rijkswaterstaat has launched a unique initiative within the maritime sector, where innovation and collaboration play a key role — especially in developing offshore and onshore charging infrastructure to enable electric operations at sea.
This charging infrastructure is not yet readily available for the North Sea market. Power2Tow aims to change that.
Christa Kempenaar, Director of Fleet Renewal at Rijkswaterstaat: ‘To make Power2Tow a success, close cooperation with shipyards, port companies, wind farms, and other market players such as technology developers and service providers is essential. We need each other’s expertise and innovative strength to accelerate the decarbonisation of shipping.’
Also read: Shipbuilders have to wait (too long) for Rijksrederij orders
Innovation partnership
The tender follows an innovation partnership model, allowing for direct contract awards after successful development. The selected consortia will submit proposals over the coming months, with the next selection phase scheduled for mid-2026. Power2Tow is part of Rijkswaterstaat’s Fleet Renewal Programme, which focuses on accelerating the delivery of sustainable vessels for the Rijksrederij (the government’s own fleet). But the scope extends beyond building new vessels.
To truly accelerate progress, Power2Tow explores new forms of collaboration across the entire value chain, with innovation and sustainability as key drivers. Power2Tow is a joint initiative of Rijkswaterstaat, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation and Maritime Affairs (DGLM), the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, and the Netherlands Coastguard.
The project is made possible in part by a substantial contribution from the European Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and aligns with the measures implemented under the Maritime Manufacturing Industry Sector Agenda, reflecting the strategic importance of the maritime sector for the Netherlands.
Picture: Current ERTV Multraship Commander (photo by Netherlands Coastguard).
Also read: NMT: Dutch companies should build new Rijksrederij fleet
