Kicking off the #EUGreenWeek with a splash
Today, the #IWTS project marks the first day of the #EUGreenWeek in style: At 2 pm today, they will test launch the electric barge Green Wave at Euroship in Heerewaarden, the Netherlands. The vessel is built by TESCO, an #IWTS partner.
The event will be livestreamed and is kicked off by the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen.
Follow the livestream here at 2 pm today
The Green Wave electric barge has a capacity of 20 metric tons. Its ultimate destination is the Flemish City of Ghent where it will be sailing mainly with building materials to the city centre, in addition to other freight such as as waste streams from the city centre.
Less polluted, more liveable
The logistics in Ghent will be organised by another #IWTS partner, De Groote-Houtboerke, who plan to use solar panels to power the barge, to bring its carbon footprint down close to zero.
The Green Wave spearheads the idea of moving freight away from roads and on to waterways and low-carbon vessels. This will reduce congestion and pollution in the City of Ghent, making the city more liveable while reducing its emissions.
Interest from the United Nations
On 7-9 October, the #IWTS project manager Robbert Hasselt had the chance to present the project to the United Nations Inland Transport Committee. The group expressed their interest in the project and invited #IWTS to present their progress at the next meeting.