Port of Antwerp-Bruges has first all-electric trucks

In the Antwerp port area, logistics company Wijngaard Natie is now driving around with four fully electric trucks, produced by Volvo Trucks. This would be the first all-electric port transport in Antwerp, although Katoen Natie is also using the Volvo FH Electric.

The four trucks should mark a turning point in the transition to sustainable transport for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. They would perform 8 000 trips annually within the port area – they are not intended for long-distance transport; with a charged battery the trucks can drive about 300 km on average, for example – thus avoiding up to 90 tons of CO2 emissions.

The investment comes at a cost of 1,6 million euros.

Complete electrification of the fleet

“It’s a substantial investment, but it’s an investment that pays off”, says Peter Van den Eynde, CEO of Wijngaard Natie. “The technology works, it’s a step forward where sustainability and innovation go hand in hand.”

Wijngaard Natie is aiming for the complete electrification of their fleet. In addition to these four e-trucks, eight full electric cranes are on the quays, eight out of ten of their forklifts are already electric, and by 2027 all the company vehicles will be electric. “We are looking at electrifying the quay trucks as well”, says Van den Eynde.

Also e-truck for Katoen Natie

Wijngaard Natie provides the electricity to charge all those e-vehicles as much as possible itself, with wind turbines and solar panels. There are some 80 wind turbines in the Port of Antwerp, good for 200 MW of power.

Wijngaard Natie transports steel and metals, chemicals, and food in the port area, among other things.

Volvo Trucks was the market leader in heavy e-trucks in Europe. The company also held a leading position in the e-truck market in North America.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges-based logistics group Katoen Natie is also electrifying its truck fleet. In July, it bought its first e-truck from Volvo Trucks Ghent, one that will be used to service customer Atlas Copco Airpower.

The Port, a fusion of the harbors of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, wants to become “the green entry to Europe”.