TATA STEEL BETS ON HYDROGEN-POWERED SHIPS FOR THE FUTURE

Tata Steel sees a future for shipping. The shipping company Van Dam Shipping, which is located in Spijk in Groningen, is cooperating with Tata Steel to develop a hydrogen-powered ship. This initiative would reduce CO2 emissions from the maritime transport of steel coils.

The vessel is the Short-Sea Vessel, whose name means ‘short coastal vessel’ and has a cargo capacity of around 5,000 tons. Its operation will depend on the energy it uses and it is intended to provide service in areas restricted to non-polluting vessels.

Cem Ugur, chief operating officer of Tata Steel: “We want to be a socially responsible company in all fields. This not only means that we will produce green steel using hydrogen in the future, but we are also looking at how we can use it even more. For example, to make our logistics more responsible. That is why we have gone ahead and are using environmentally friendly ships to transport our steel coils.”

Jan Van Dam, director of Van Dam Shipping Company, adds that “I am delighted to be working with Tata Steel on the delivery of a zero emission vessel. Our relationship with Tata Steel goes back many years and one of our ships carries iron ore from IJmuiden every week. This partnership will intensify our relationship and contribute to our energy goals as a company and shipping industry.”

Annually, Tata Steel ships about 2 million tons of steel coils to various European countries. Van Dam is an established heavyweight in the Dutch shipping industry and, thanks to this collaboration, Tata Steel will be able to transport steel coils more sustainably by 2024. The objective is that the hydrogen-powered boat can sail 100% free of CO2 emissions and this will reduce the 3,000 tons per year that this type of boats normally produce regardless of whether they have diesel or fuel oil.