Associated partner Milence works towards fossil free road transport by developing its network to focus on creating green corridors for road transport connecting key logistics hubs, major ports and airports.
In today’s landscape, road transport is as important than ever. Trucks carry 77% of all freight transported over land in the European Union and they generate an annual trade surplus of €5.6 billion for the EU. They are a vital and integral part of the economy. However, there’s no denying that historically, trucks have not been so great for the environment. The heavy-duty sector is also responsible for over a quarter of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transport, and for about 6% of the Europe’s total GHG emissions.
To combat this, Europe has decreed that by 2030, the CO2 emissions of new vehicles must be at least -45% lower than 2021. Europe will need a complete system transformation involving all public and private actors across to have sufficient electric trucks on the road and to build a dense network of publicly accessible charging sites.
Clearly, there is a lot of work to do and in the past 18 months, there has been a wave in the industry to switch to electric trucks. However, the switch has not been happening quickly enough to reach said European targets, which is where Milence comes in.
Why Green Corridors?
The European Green Deal seeks a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 2050. One of the concepts introduced to develop more environmentally friendly transport is “green corridors”. Green corridors are zero emission routes which essentially provide integrated, efficient, sustainable transport of freight between major hubs.
Though obviously the corridors themselves are vital to achieve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact, the logistics hubs themselves are also key to achieving the goals set out by the Green Deal and more. Major logistics hubs are already in place for cargo via railway, air, road and water—what better place to implement a great reduction in emissions from the transport industry than the places trains, planes, trucks and ships regularly stop? This is why the electrification transition needs to start at major hubs.
It’s easier to make an impactful change in places drivers already frequent rather than try to change people’s habits: therefore, Milence has begun working with one of those major logistics hubs.
Putting Plans in Motion: The Port of Antwerp-Bruges
With 287 million tons passing through per year, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a critical hub in worldwide trade and industry. The port is a crucial link for the handling of containers, breakbulk and for the throughput of vehicles. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is home to 1,400 companies and accommodates the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe. The port provides, directly and indirectly, a total of around 164,000 jobs and generates an added value of 21 billion euros.
Milence is currently developing two state-of-the-art charging hubs for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges at their safe and secure truck parking areas in Goordijk and Ketenis. Scheduled to open in May 2024, the hubs in the Antwerp Port area will comprise two adjacent plots with a total of 30 charging bays. The number of charging bays will be increased in a second phase of development.
The 2 charging hubs will initially be equipped with 15 high-performance Combined Charging System (CCS) chargers offering over 6MW of charging power. Milence also plans a swift transition to Megawatt Charging System (MCS) technology as soon as it becomes available.
Annick De Ridder, Vice-Mayor of the City of Antwerp and President of the board of directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges: “Our two truck parks in the Antwerp port, Goordijk and Ketenis, will be equipped by Milence with 15 high capacity chargers for electric trucks. It will make these truck parks an essential link in electric truck transport. At the same time, this will also remove an important barrier for domestic and foreign transporters to make the switch to electric trucks. Road transport is and will remain important for our port, for the fast and timely delivery of very specific products and for the ‘last mile’. Our port is the economic engine of Flanders. The more sustainable, and in this case, the more electric, this engine runs, the better!”
Commitment to net zero
By moving towards a circular economy and major investments in energy transition, Port of Antwerp-Bruges aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. The port already produces a large amount of renewable energy locally with solar panels and wind turbines, which is used to power its daily operations, including the new Milence charging hub. Integrating renewable energy into this transport sector is vital.
With this collaboration, Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Milence aim to make a dent in the target of making the logistics industry carbon neutral.
Safety First
Not only are the truck parking areas green, but they are also certified at the bronze level of the EU-Parking Standard. Driver comfort and safety are major concerns for both Milence and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Both parking areas are fenced, illuminated and equipped with camera surveillance, Wi-Fi and sanitary facilities. Snacks and drinks are available from vending machines.
Let’s Work Together
ESPORG would like to commend their members Milence and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges for working together towards a joint vision of improving green energy in the logistics industry. We would like to call on all of you within the industry to follow their example and to put your resources together and collaborate in the hopes of building a greener, more sustainable logistics industry.
More about Milence
Milence is dedicated to making the future of road transport fossil-free. To realize this vision Milence is building a reliable charging network for all battery-electric heavy-duty trucks and coaches, regardless of brand. By 2027, they aim to have at least 1,700 high-performance charging points across Europe, with the first ones set to be operational by the end of 2023.
Milence was established in July 2022 as a joint venture between Daimler Truck, the Traton Group and the Volvo Group, with an initial funding of €500 million, and operates as an independent, stand-alone company.
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