Rotterdam, 25 February 2022 – Free shore power is now available on the Maaskade in Rotterdam for inland vessels of CEMT Class V and higher that participate in a trial concerning shore power reinforcements with the help of a battery system.
Recently, Skoon Energy has installed a battery system on Noordereiland on behalf of the Port of Rotterdam Authority to strengthen the local shore power supply for inland vessels. In the centre of Rotterdam, running an onboard generator is prohibited for stationary inland vessels to avoid noise pollution and harmful emissions. Inland vessels are therefore obliged to use shore power facilities, but some vessels require more power than the existing facilities can supply. The battery supports the shore power cabinets that are located on the quay by making more power available to the moored vessels. The initial trial will last until March 31, 2022, and aims at showing whether the battery system in combination with the local shore power cabinet can meet the vessels’ demand.
Since 2010, shore power cabinets for inland vessels have been installed at about 60 locations in the centre of Rotterdam. These cabinets can supply shore power to four to six inland vessels up to a maximum of 40 Ampere. Some larger inland vessels (in CEMT class V and above) today require more power. To meet this demand without having to take drastic measures, the Port Authority has opted for this flexible solution.
63 Ampere instead of 40
By placing the battery between the existing shore power cabinet and the inland vessel, the battery will supply the additional power to reach up to 63A if more than the basic 40A is needed. In such a case, without the battery in between, the fuses would blow and the connected vessels would experience a power outage. Both that vessel and those coming afterwards would not be able to connect to shore power until the repairs are finished. Linking the battery system prevents this situation and also makes it possible to supply larger ships with shore power.
Community benefits for Rotterdammers
Not only inland vessels benefit from the use of the battery system. Local residents on Noordereiland are also satisfied with this step. Now that generators can be turned off, there is less noise nuisance at the quays. In addition, this also contributes to cleaner air in the immediate vicinity, which is an important reason for the current generator ban. The Port Authority is happy to look further into how this solution contributes to a better living environment and the achievement of sustainability objectives in other places in the centre of Rotterdam.
About Skoon Energy
Skoon is accelerating the energy transition with a software platform for mobile clean energy. Ships, ports, festivals, events, construction sites, grid operators and many other applications can now easily access clean energy, through our online marketplace called Skoon Sharing. Skoon Suite is a SaaS tool for the supply side of our platform, making rental management scalable for the owners of mobile energy assets.
