The Port of Rotterdam Authority (HbR) in conjunction with Truckparkings Rotterdam Exploitatie (TRE) has opened a charging station for electric trucks.
The battery charging station, which is located in the Bodaanweg truck park in Waalhaven, features five charging points and has the capacity to accommodate up to eight trucks at a time. Currently, no advanced bookings are needed to use the charging points with drivers able to arrive at the gate and report via the intercom system. The charging points, together with the parking area, is monitored 24/7 by security cameras while as an incentive to encourage the use of more etrucks in the port parking is free and all facilities are available to drivers.
“Making road transport more sustainable is an important step towards CO2-neutral freight transport and contributes to a cleaner living environment,” said a port statement. “Research shows that around 70% of container trips by road remain within the region and electric trucks are ideally suited to make trips over these relatively short distances more sustainable”.
It was a point reinforced by Boudewijn Siemons, interim CEO and COO of HbR. “Sustainable logistics is a key pillar of our strategy for a future-proof port with net zero CO2 emissions,” he said. “Providing charging infrastructure for trucks can make the transport sector more sustainable. Electric cargo transport also contributes directly to better air quality in the port.”
Meanwhile, Ton Barten, director of TRE, stressed the productivity and working environment enhancements that could result from the charging station. “Carriers can schedule smart combinations by, for example, charging their trucks while drivers stay in the truck park for mandatory rest,” he said. “A comfortable, safe and easy switch to sustainable transport without any loss of time paves the way for carriers to become more sustainable and invest in an electric fleet.”
The project in Waalhaven also involved ABB E-mobility, Batenburg Techniek, KWS Infra, Stedin, and VARO Energy, which manages the charging infrastructure for TRE. Additionally, the initiative is part of the Rijkswaterstaat Living Labs Heavy Duty Charging Stations programme.
But this is only a start with a study commissioned by HbR revealing that up to 2,000 etrucks could be servicing the port regularly in 2030. These would require a least 50 charging points to be installed.
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