On 25 May 2023 Dutch shipping company Future Proof Shipping (FPS) officially launched the first hydrogen-powered zero-emissions inland container ship, H2 Barge 1, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Earlier in the week, Nike introduced the H2 Barge 1 at its European Logistics Campus in Laakdal, Belgium.
As part of its journey toward a zero carbon and zero waste future, Nike is partnering with Future Proof Shipping (FPS) and BCTN Network of Inland Terminals, to accelerate zero-emission shipping.
Future Proof Shipping’s zero-emissions 110m x 11.45m inland containership, H2 Barge 1 is chartered by BCTN on behalf of Nike EMEA.
The vessel, expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2000 tonnes of CO2e per year, will sail between Rotterdam and BCTN’s inland terminal in Meerhout several times a week.
Minister of Infrastructure & Water Management in the Netherlands, Mark Harbers, was in attendance to present FPS Founder, Huib van de Grijspaarde, with a special A-Zero (A0) emission label awarded only to zero-emission vessels.
During the presentation of the label, Minister Mark Harbers said, “It’s my pleasure to present the very first A-Zero emission label to H2 Barge1, as it is the first vessel to truly qualify as zero emission.
“An achievement worth applauding. I hope this achievement by Future Proof Shipping will persuade other shipowners to make the transition to emission free transport too, and that many more A-Zero emission labels will be handed out in the future.”
Also present to celebrate this collective achievement, were the FPS team and various partner representatives from Air Liquide, BCTN Network of Inland Terminals, Holland Shipyards Group, Koedood Marine Group, Kooiman Marine Group, Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology, Rabobank, and Nike.
The FPS Maas/H2 Barge 1 retrofit project is supported by grant funding from the Interreg North Sea Region Programme (Zero Emission Ports North Sea – ZEM Ports NS), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Port of Rotterdam and Expertise- en InnovatieCentrum Binnenvaart.
Future Proof Shipping (FPS) (www.futureproofshipping.com), offers zero-emissions shipping services to enable players across the value chain make the transition to zero-emissions.
As a zero-emissions shipping company, FPS aims to build and operate a fleet of ten zero-emission inland and short-sea vessels over the next five years which they will offer for charter to logistics service providers and cargo owners.
FPS also facilitates other shipowners and stakeholders in the maritime sector who are ready to make the shift to zero-emissions, through technical, financial, and commercial support as well as project development and management.
