Schottel drive for the world's first hydrogen tractor

The port of Antwerp-Bruges contains the world's first hydrogen-powered tugboat, as Schottel reports in a press release, which will be equipped with Schottel propulsion systems. The HydroTug was recently launched at the Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon and will start operating in the Belgian port at the beginning of 2023 as one of the cleanest ships in the port fleet.

First hydrogen tractor, photo: CMB.Tech

According to Schottel, the tug's main propulsion system consists of two Schottel SRP 460 Rudderpropellers (2,000 kW each) with a propeller diameter of 2.4 metres. With this thruster configuration, the 31 metre long and 12.5 metre wide vessel achieves a bollard pull of around 65 tonnes.

The SRP units are powered by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with diesel, says Schottel. No CO2 is emitted during the combustion of hydrogen, and the particulate filter in combination with the catalytic converter minimises NOx and particulate emissions.

Article with the kind support of our sister publication "defence industry"

Source: Schottel, Gerhard W. Heiming