Battery Banks News

The first electric tugs for SAAM Towage's fleet are ready to sail from the Port of Tuzla to Vancouver, Canada, where they will join the fleet operating in that country.SAAM Towage's Engineering and Development Manager, Pablo Cáceres, said, "We are one step closer to having our electric tugs operating, which for us represents the way to advance towards more sustainable operations and move our business into the future."The Sanmar-built vessels have successfully completed their final seaworthiness trials and will soon be loaded onto the cargo ship BBC Emerald…

Dutch offshore crane maker Huisman launched a renewed series of subsea Knuckle Boom Cranes for the use in the offshore subsea construction market."With this new series, the company’s portfolio has been adapted to the latest trends in offshore construction vessels with respect to energy efficiency, automation, and safety," Huisman said.According to Huisman, the new, series includes models starting from 85mt up to 350mt and cover both setups with a winch below deck as well as on the back of the crane.Water depths up to 3…

Finnlines announced it has taken delivery of Finnsirius, the first in a series of two Superstar hybrid freight-passenger (ro-pax) vessels built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China.The vessel will enter service on Finnlines’ Finland–Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär) line from September 2023, followed by the series' second vessel, Finncanopus, expected to be delivered by the end of this year.The two ships—part of Finnlines' €500 million green newbuilding program comprising both ro-pax and ro-ro vessels—are equipped with air lubrication…

Seattle-based naval architecture firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) announced it is working with Miller Marine, a marine metal fabrication shop in Deltaville, Va., to design and construct a fully electric truckable tug.The versatile vessel is designed as a multi-functional utility boat servicing marine construction sites, tending dredges, tending buoys, short range ferry operations and other near shore operations such as crew transportation or line handling, the designer said.EBDG will incorporate an electrical propulsion system into Miller Marine's proven truckable tug design.

Marine News spoke to leaders at three North American naval architecture and marine engineering firms about some of the latest trends impacting their business today. Mike Fitzpatrick, president, Robert Allan Ltd.; Jeff Bowles, director, DLBA Naval Architects; and Rich Mueller, president and CEO, NETSCo., weigh in on topics such as digitalization, decarbonization and the naval architect talent pool.How do you view the maritime industry’s ongoing shifts in areas such as digitalization and decarbonization…

Glosten and ABB have teamed to develop a methanol-hybrid ship assist tug design. The "SA-100" is a 100-ft. ASD harbor tug—designed to measure under 100 grt—is propelled by two methanol compatible CAT 3512E gensets powering electrically driven L-drives. The gensets are complemented by battery banks for zero-emission operation when transiting, peak shaving during general operation, and as boost for achieving the tug’s peak bollard pull of 90 short tons.“We had three primary design objectives in developing this tug—all intended to benefit the owner/operator…

Volvo Penta on Thursday announced the launch of a new range of variable speed marine generator sets – a key enabler for electric propulsion for marine vessels – as the industry's transformation toward sustainable marine propulsion continues to gain momentum.Now a standard part of the Volvo Penta marine offer, the range of variable speed marine generator sets allows shipyards to install hybrid-electric modular propulsion systems today. According to Volvo Penta, the move toward…

SEA-KIT, a company designing and building Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), has won funding to install a PCB-based hydrogen fuel cell, engineered by Bramble Energy, on its 12m USV ‘Maxlimer’ and demonstrate zero-emission maritime operations.SEA-KIT secured the grant through the recent Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) – Strand 2 in the UK funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) working with InnovateUK.The project will showcase a successful diesel to hydrogen…

Naval architects and marine engineers sit on the front lines of the maritime industry’s battle toward decarbonization. Morgan Fanberg, President, Glosten, discusses the challenges and opportunities ahead.Put in context the challenge ahead for ship owners and ship designers to meet emission targets of 2050?I started my career in 1998 and as a young marine engineer, the challenges that I faced were taking old boats and meeting SOLAS requirements, developing ship yard packages for modifications such as oily water separator upgrades (for example).

Spanish shipbuilder Gondan said it received last week at its main facilities in Castropol, Asturias, the first two electric Voith Schneider Propellers (eVSP) ever manufactured. They will be soon installed in the new offshore wind service operation vessel (SOV), being built for Norwegian shipping company Østensjø Rederi A/S.The first eVSP passed the factory acceptance test (FAT) several weeks ago at Voith facilities in Germany. Gondan will be the first shipyard in the world to…

Austal Australia launched the VOLTA series of electric-powered high speed ferry solutions, with the introduction of the Passenger Express 46V, a fully electric-powered 46-meter catamaran ferry design.The VOLTA series is distinct in the burgeoning market for electric vessels as it offers a completely integrated design, construction and support solution, including on-shore charging infrastructure and in-service support programs for operators.The series combines a light-weight, low-resistance hull forms…

Christopher Glynn had known for some time that he wanted to build all-electric vessels for his Niagara Falls tour boat company Maid of the Mist. In January 2018 he decided in earnest that he was going to make it happen.But where to begin? Fully electric ferries had never been built in North America, so Maid of the Mist would be plying uncharted waters. Glynn, the company’s president, said he and his team started by doing their research—a lot of research—and by hiring a team of consultants to help weigh their options.Inspired by the world’s first all-electric ferry…

Finnish energy efficiency solution provider WE Tech Solutions said it has received an order to complete its earlier scope of supply with energy storage systems (ESS) integrated in the package delivered earlier this year, including propulsion drives, permanent magnet shaft generator, shore connection switchgear, bow thruster motor and DC link for two new 22,000 DWT chemical and oil tankers built by Wuhu Shipyard Co. Ltd for the Swedish shipowner Rederi AB Donsötank.The ESS can…

WhisperPower is ready to start shipping its new range of Supreme Pro Battery Chargers. Available in four models – 40, 60, 80 and 100 amps – the chargers/power supplies have been built to exceed the most stringent requirements of the global shipping industry.The Supreme Pro range is touted by the manufacture as the smallest 24V battery charger of its type in the world, able to run silently and keep itself cool in hot areas such as engine rooms that may otherwise compromise performance.Each…

Finnlines' newbuilding program is progressing as planned despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with first steel cut Wednesday for its second new hybrid ro-ro vessel at the Chinese Nanjing Jinling shipyard.Finnlines’ ongoing €500 million ($593 million) newbuilding program includes three green hybrid ro-ro vessels as well as two eco-friendly Superstar ro-pax vessels. The ro-ro vessels are expected to be delivered during 2021–2022 and the Superstar ro-pax vessels are set to start in traffic…

Europe has been the clear leader in offshore wind power since the world’s first offshore wind farm was built off the coast of Denmark in 1991. Now, as regions in Asia and North America set out to harness the huge energy potential gusting off their shores, local firms are drawing from the expertise laid out in the well-established European industry as they build the foundations for new offshore wind markets of their own.It’s no surprise, then, that designs for offshore wind support vessels currently being built in the U.S. come from the other side of the Atlantic.

Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries said its newest vessel, Island Aurora, officially entered service Thursday on the Port McNeill - Alert Bay - Sointula (Vancouver Island-Cormorant Island-Malcolm Island) route. This follows last week’s start of service for sister vessel Island Discovery on the Texada Island-Powell River run.The two new ferries are the first in the company’s new Island Class, based on Damen’s 81-meter Road Ferry 8117E3 design and built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.

Norwegian Electric Systems has signed a contract with the Estonian shipbuilder Baltic Workboats to deliver upgrade of the Diesel Electric Propulsion system onboard the ferry Tõll to battery-hybrid.The ferry operator TS Laevad, a subsidiary of the listed port Company Tallinna Sadam, operates the ferry routes between Western Estonia’s major islands and mainland. The upgraded hybrid-ferry, serving the Virtsu-Kuivastu route, is expected to reduce the consumption of diesel fuel by one fifth as a result of the hybridization project.

Estonian ferry company TS Laevad has signed an agreement with the Estonian shipbuilding company Baltic Workboats AS to rebuild the ferry Tõll, which operates the on the Virtsu-Kuivastu line, into environmentally friendly hybrid ship.The subsidiary of Tallinna Sadam said in a press release that during the reconstruction, a battery bank will be installed on the vessel to reduce the consumption of diesel fuel and reduce the resulting exhaust gas by replacing fossil fuel with electricity stored in battery banks.According to Jaak Kaabel, Chairman of the Board of TS Laevad, the project expects TS Laevad to replace about a fifth of the diesel fuel consumption with electricity.“We believe that on shorter ferry routes the environmentally friendly power ships are the future of ferry traffic…

WE Tech Solutions Oy (WE Tech) has been awarded the contract for delivery of an avant-garde Hybrid Electric Propulsion solution to Rauma Marine Construction Oy (RMC).The solution includes Propulsion drives, Energy Storage System (battery banks and DCDC converters), Main Propulsion Switchboards, Shore connection switchgears, Energy Management System and the Propulsion Control System. WE Tech and RMC will together bring Wasaline’s new RoPax ferry to the next level of sustainable shipping. The new ferry is being built by RMC in Rauma Finland and is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.

The  provider of energy-efficient solutions for shipbuilding, WE Tech Solutions has been awarded the contract for delivery of an avant-garde Hybrid Electric Propulsion solution to Rauma Marine Construction (RMC).The solution includes Propulsion drives, Energy Storage System (battery banks and DCDC converters), Main Propulsion Switchboards, Shore connection switchgears, Energy Management System and the Propulsion Control System.WE Tech and RMC will together bring Wasaline’s new RoPax ferry to the next level of sustainable shipping. The new ferry is being built by RMC in Rauma Finland and is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.The Ice Class 1A Super ferry…

Thailand’s first all-electric commuter ferry was recently placed into service by the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA), powered by Torqeedo. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha celebrated the launch, giving his symbolic approval to the city’s efforts to ease congestion and improve air quality through investments in green transportation. The Prime Minister commuted by skytrain, subway and foot through Bangkok’s crowded streets, before ending his mixed-mode commute with a trip aboard the emission-free passenger ferry.The 47.5-ft fiberglass vessel was repowered by MariArt Shipyard…

Washington State Ferries has begun a project to transition the largest vessels in its fleet to cleaner hybrid-electric power.The three ferries in the operator's Jumbo Mark II class, the Tacoma, Wenatchee and Puyallup, were built from 1997 to 1999 at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle. Each vessel can carry up to 2,499 passengers and 202 vehicles, making them the largest in the Washington State fleet.The 460 footers are also the fleet's biggest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions.