Hybrid Technology News

Stena RoRo announced it has taken delivery of the 10th vessel in its E-Flexer series from the CMI Jinling, Weihai Shipyard. The vessel, named Ala'suinu, will be on a long charter agreement with the Canadian state-owned Marine Atlantic and operate a ferry line in eastern Canada between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.“We are very excited to welcome the Ala’suinu to our service,” says Gary O'Brien, Chair, Board of Directors, Marine Atlantic. “With a focus on reducing our environmental impact…

Stena RoRo has placed an order for another RoPax-class E-Flexer vessel from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai). The vessel will be delivered in the first quarter of 2026 to Corsica Linea and will operate between Marseille and Corsica. This is Stena RoRo’s 13th vessel in the E-Flexer series and the first to be delivered to the Mediterranean region.“The arrival of this new LNG vessel in the fleet is a strong signal that is in line with the ambitious course set for Corsica Linea the coming years: to become the most modern shipping company in the Mediterranean by 2030.

The PSA Wayra ASD tug will soon enter service for PSA Marine Peru, a wholly owned subsidiary of PSA Marine (Pte) Ltd, as the first tug with a hybrid drive system on South America’s west coast. Hong Kong-based Cheoy Lee Shipyards has built the PSA Wayra on the RAmparts 2400W design from Robert Allan Ltd. The tug is propelled by SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers featuring patented SYDRIVE-M technology. This mechanical hybrid solution without the costly complexity of common hybrid technology reduces both the vessel’s maintenance costs and its fuel consumption.

Kongsberg Maritime, a Norwegian maritime equipment and technology specialist, announced a 23% reduction in CO2 emissions on the 121-meter passenger vessel MS Richard With, which is owned by Hurtigruten, a coastal ship operator and adventure travel company.The vessel finished an extensive refit last summer using Kongsberg Maritime engineering and technology and has now completed its first year back in service.Last year, Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert three Hurtigruten ships to hybrid technology, promising reduced emissions and quieter operations.

UK-based offshore vessel operator North Star has awarded a new contract to Great Yarmouth-based shipbuilding Alicat Workboats Ltd for the construction of two new offshore wind daughter craft.The hybrid-propulsion workboats 5 & 6, designed by Chartwell Marine, will be integrated into North Star’s renewable fleet. They will complement the two new SPS 120 CSOVs under construction with Vard. The crafts combine diesel and electric outboard propulsion.Last week, North Star delivered…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner REM Offshore has selected Vard Electro and its SeaQ solutions to upgrade battery technology onboard one of the company's platform supply vessels.Vard Electro will deliver a complete SeaQ Energy Storage System package for the vessel retrofit as REM Offshore is proactively upgrading its fleet with hybrid power in pursuit of greener and safer operations with lower fuel costs.The SeaQ package includes energy storage system, drives, energy management system…

Strategic Marine unveiled a new shipyard facility located on JTC’s waterfront site at 5 Benoi Road in western Singapore. The ceremony also saw the delivery of Southeast Asia’s first hybrid crew transfer vessel (CTV), and the unveiling of Strategic Marine’s fourth-generation fast crew boat (FCB).The new facility features a 5,000-DWT dry dock measuring 105m in length, 18.5m in width, and 8m in depth as well as a 6,000 DWT slipway.As part of the opening ceremony, the hybrid CTV, HST Swansea, was delivered to its new owner, UK-based HST Marine, along with its sistervessel, HST Tynemouth.

There are vessels on order today—including crew transfer vessels (CTV) being built in the U.S. (American Offshore Services at Blount Boats and for WINDEA CTV at St. Johns Ship Building and Gulf Craft, for example)—that are described as “hybrid-ready”. Of course, a vessel is either hybrid or it isn’t. So what does hybrid-ready mean?When asked about the hybrid-ready CTVs that Blount Boats is building, the shipyard’s president Marcia Blount told Marine News that the vessels’ Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system “is readily upgradeable to hybrid at any time in the future.

Norwegian maritime technology and equipment provider Kongsberg Maritime has secured an order from Grimaldi Group to supply engineering and technology for two new Roll-on/Roll-off(Ro-Ro) vessels. The vessels, which will be built at China Merchant Jinling Shipyard, are scheduled for delivery in 2025.Kongsberg Maritime will supply marine automation system and Auto Chief 600 propulsion control systems, hybrid systems, converters, battery energy storage of 5MWh, battery management system, maneuvering, and propulsion systems.

NY Waterway announced plans to repower four more of its older ferries, transitioning from traditionally diesel driven units to hybrid technology before eventually operating on pure electric.The private company, which runs ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley, was awarded $7.298 million in grant funding for the project through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant program with the support of NJ TRANSIT.Each ferry upgrade consists of removing all main engines and generators…

Tim Clerc’s maritime career spans half a century, starting with his cadet training in 1969 in the U.K. He sees hybrid technology as one of the most transformational technological developments in maritime in that span, and the company is currently awaiting its 10th hybrid, the Seacor Yangtze. Clerc discusses the hybrid strategy and offers some practical insights.If you had to pick one technology that you think has made the business of running ships more efficient, more cost effective…

Vessel designer Chartwell Marine has won of a £320,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant which will enable Chartwell and consortium partners — Boat Electric & Electronics and Engineered Marine Systems — to develop and test the feasibility of "a market-first" methanol-fuelled vessel design, with applications in the offshore wind, commercial workboat, and leisure sectors."Methanol fuel presents a significant opportunity to decarbonise in a maritime industry which is confronted with the debate over sustainable fuel alternatives, as it can be produced from biomass and can carry a near-zero carbon footprint.

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

Wärtsilä and logistics provider CLdN have jointly developed an innovative hybrid design for two new RoRo vessels. The propulsion arrangement is such that the ships can operate as gas/diesel-mechanical vessel now, or in the future as gas/diesel-electric vessel. The vessels are being built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyards in Korea.The Wärtsilä hybrid system includes Energy Storage Systems, two large PTO/PTI generators and electric motors, multidrive converters, and the Wärtsilä Energy Management System that controls and optimizes the hybrid operations.

Maritime and offshore service provider OSM Maritime Group will act as Ocean Infinity's newbuild site supervision partner, for six robotic offshore vessels being built for Ocean Infinity in Norway, for its Armada Fleet.Four vessels will have a length of 21 meters and tow vessels of 36 meters. The robotic vessels, being built at GMV shipyard in Norway will be equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and pioneering navigational technology that allows information to be gathered from the shallowest and deepest waters.

Sweden-based Marell Boats and Scania Power Solutions are working to develop what they say is are next-generation sustainable and technologically advanced vessels as they prepare the launch of the M17 Patrol vessel with a hybrid driveline. The companies said they were collaborating to create "a sustainable and state-of-the-art vessel to meet the increased demand for hybrid solutions." According to the two firms, the M17 Patrol will become the most energy-efficient hybrid high-speed…

Norwegian shipping company UECC said its third and final newbuild in a series of advanced dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) battery hybrid pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) has been launched at China’s Jiangnan Shipyard.The December 28 launch comes seven months after the keel-laying ceremony for the vessel and follows the recent final delivery of the first newbuild named Auto Advance, with the second and third vessels set to be delivered in the first half of this year.“We are rapidly building up our low-emission fleet to become the leading eco-friendly shortsea carrier in Europe through t

BC Ferries revealed the name of its latest Island Class Ferry this week at a naming ceremony at its fleet maintenance facility in Richmond, B.C. Island Kwigwis is the newest vessel to join the fleet and will begin service in the spring of 2022, allowing for two-ship operation on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route.The name Kwigwis, which means "eagle of the sea," was selected with support from the 'Na̲mg̲is First Nation and celebrates the beauty of the journey and the important connection to coastal communities.

Automation, where routine tasks are handled by machines, has been talked about throughout maritime sectors for much of the 21st Century. Initially touted by suppliers of engine room and bridge management systems for its cost savings (with reduced manning levels), its value proposition was then infused with risk management (reduced human error) and remote operations, where vessels could be managed from a shoreside control room. In early 2017, Rolls Royce —an early proponent of unmanned operations—teamed with tug operator Svitzer on a remotely operated vessel…

With a milestone project for South America, the Brazilian towage group Starnav is setting sails to reach the IMO 2030 goals: Starnav has contracted Detroit shipyard in Itajaí, Brazil, for equipping four newly built tugs with SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers. One of the 32 meter long and 11.6 meter wide escort tugs will feature the SCHOTTEL patented SYDRIVE-M technology right from start; the other three will be configured to be SYDRIVE-ready. As a mechanical hybrid solution without the costly complexity of common hybrid technology…

Marine engineering consultancy BAR Technologies (BAR) announced that Simon Roberts, former Williams Racing Managing Director and Team Principal, has joined the business as Chief Operating Officer. Roberts will work alongside the BAR senior leadership team of Chief Executive, John Cooper, Chief Technical Officer, Simon Schofield and Head of Engineering, Lauren Eatwell.Prior to joining BAR, Roberts forged a career across a broad range of engineering sub sectors, comprising engines and drivetrains…

While many companies talk about decarbonization, United European Car Carrier (UECC) acts, as proven by its recent acceptance of the world’s first dual-fuel LNG battery hybrid PCTC, Auto Advance, delivered from China’s Jiangnan Shipyard and Maritime Reporter & Engineering News’ 2021 Great Ship of the Year.The ship is the first in a series of three newbuild pure car and truck carriers (PCTC), measuring 169 by 28 meters with capacity for 3600 vehicles on 10 cargo decks. The remaining…

WinGD, an engine maker for the merchant shipping industry, has won a contract to integrate hybrid energy systems on four newbuild car carriers for Japanese owner NYK Line.The company said the order further expanded its portfolio of future-ready power solutions for companies navigating shipping’s energy transition.The four pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) will run on LNG, with WinGD’s 7X62DF-2.1 two-stroke engines coupled with shaft generators, DC-links and battery systems.WinGD said it has optimized spinning reserves…