Watertaxi Rotterdam has added the first hydrogen-powered water taxi to its fleet.
This is the first vessel to sail on renewable energy from the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port.
The 12-person MSTX 22 was developed by SWIM, a partnership comprising of Watertaxi Rotterdam, Flying Fish, zepp.solutions and Enviu.
The hydrogen water taxi was christened on 30 August by Chantal Zeegers, alderman for Climate, Building and Living in Rotterdam. It will now be presented to the public at the World Port Days on 3 and 4 September.
Project leader Maarten Fonteijn of Enviu said:The hydrogen water taxi is proof that concrete solutions already exist in the transition to clean transport by water. We can now also supply our technology in larger capacities and to other parties, starting in the port of Rotterdam.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority, Uniper and Shell are investing in production facilities for ‘green hydrogen’ – meaning hydrogen produced from renewable energy – on the Maasvlakte, where the first hydrogen factory is expected to open in 2023.
The new MSTX 22 will enter service as soon as hydrogen can be stored in the Port of Rotterdam. The necessary infrastructure is expected to be ready at the beginning of 2023. The hydrogen water taxi will then join Watertaxi Rotterdam’s fleet, which already includes six electric vessels.
Watertaxi Rotterdam co-owner Daan van der Have saidWe have set ourselves the goal of making our entire fleet zero-emissions by 2030. That is a major task for our fast ships, which must have enough energy with them to sail continuously for at least six hours a day. For this reason, we have conceived a plan together with Enviu to develop a hydrogen-powered water taxi. That has now been achieved, and we hope to take a big step with it towards the full transition of our fleet.
