Dutch Expand Emission-Free Inland Shipping with Swappable Battery Packs
Publish Date:
Zero Emission Services launches ZES 2.0 with swappable container batteries across multiple ports, making inland shipping cleaner, faster, and more economical.
Background & Innovation
- Zero Emission Services (ZES), in collaboration with Nefcargo and Inland Terminals Group, has introduced the ZES 2.0 service for battery-electric inland cargo shipping.
- New swappable battery containers (called Zespacks) will operate from terminals in Alphen aan den Rijn, Alblasserdam, and Den Bosch, with plans to expand to Rotterdam, Moerdijk, and Nijmegen.
How It Works & Benefits
- Instead of waiting for batteries to recharge, vessels can swap out battery containers at swapping stations — saving time and reducing downtime.
- Users only pay for the power used, making this model financially attractive for operators.
- Emissions are significantly reduced. For example, cargo operations that included Heineken transport saw a CO2 reduction of approximately 800 tonnes/year.
Vessel Specifications
- First vessel using this is Den Bosch Max Groen, built by Concordia Damen, delivered in Jan 2021. Both vessels in fleet are 90 m long × 11.5 m wide. Capacity increased by 24 TEU over older vessels (132 TEU capacity).
Strategic Implications
- This expansion is part of the broader push toward decarbonization in shipping. With upcoming CO₂ levies and climate policies, solutions like this become more economically and environmentally important.
