Hybrid Propulsion Systems News

In earlier columns, I have discussed various approaches and issues with Hybrid Propulsion.I have now had the pleasure of a number of years of experience with the design, operation, upgrade, modification, and maintenance of ship (and car) hybrid propulsion systems and may be able to make a claim of gradually becoming a little less confused.It is still not easy, but at the same time, I am starting to see a few shortcuts that make it less likely that a beautiful vision of marine efficiency ends up being beached somewhere.In essence, they are variants of the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle.

Built by Rauma Marine Constructions, in Rauma, Finland, and launched in 2021, the 150-meter-long Aurora Botnia boasts a long list of onboard equipment that help it to earn its “green” designation, a label that is confirmed via a Clean Design notation from classification society DNV. The ship is also compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target.Wasaline CEO Peter Ståhlberg describes Aurora Botnia as “a masterpiece of cooperation” and noted that the vessel is over 80% domestic made."I'm really proud of the Aurora Botnia.

DNV awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate to China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. for its 11,000-CEU capacity pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) design.Recognized as the world's largest PCTC, the 234m long and 40m wide ship will have 14 decks allowing 11,000 car equivalent units (CEUs) to be stored simultaneously, which not only increases efficiency but also reduces the transport cost per vehicle.By implementing a combination of decarbonization measures…

The first 32m parallel hybrid crew transfer vessel (CTV) designed by Incat Crowther for Emden-based EMS Maritime Offshore (EMO) has been delivered, with the vessel already servicing Germany’s offshore wind industry.According to Incat Crowther, WINDEA ONE is the world's first CTV to utilize Volvo Penta’s new parallel hybrid system together with IPS propulsion and can be operated in an all-electric mode for up to six hours.Built by Singapore's Penguin Shipyard International, under the designation WindFlex-32, WINDEA ONE is based on Incat Crowther’s proven 32-metre CTV model.

Italy's Liberty Lines expanded its order from nine to 12 of the 38m hybrid monohull passenger ferries designed by Incat Crowther, built by Astilleros Armon’s shipyard in Spain.Each of the 12 new vessels will designed to have a flexible hybrid drivetrain and will have the ability to enter and leave ports at speeds up to 8 knots in zero-emission mode.Delivery of the vessels -- each capable of a speed of 30 knots and able to accommodate 251 passengers -- is expected to take place between 2023 and 2026.The main deck of each vessel features seating for 166 passengers…

Danfoss Power Solutions said its Editron division has been chosen to provide drivetrain systems for three hybrid passenger ferries that will operate on the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany. German shipyard Schiffbau- u. Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde mbH (SET) will build the vessels for Hamburg transportation company HADAG, expanding its fleet to 29 ships.Hamburg’s passenger ferry service is integral to its public transportation offering. With eight routes stopping at 20 different piers, the ferries are used by approximately 9 million passengers annually.

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…

Crowley has been selected by Senesco Marine to provide design verification and production packaging for a hybrid-electric passenger vehicle ferry for Casco Bay Lines of Portland, Maine.Under the contract, Crowley will use its development experience in electric and hybrid propulsion systems to verify the contract design by Elliott Bay Design Group and develop the production package that is necessary for Senesco Marine to begin construction. The production package provides critical…

A new patrol boat just launched by Ribcraft in Dubai is powered by a unique hybrid electric system supplied by Transfluid and Elcome International.The two companies collaborated to design and install the cost-effective diesel-electric system for the nine-meter Ribcraft professional-grade rigid-hull inflatable boat. A Middle Eastern customer required a patrol RHIB intended for the surveillance of the environmentally protected areas with zero environmental footprint, while at the…

A pair of fully-electric road ferries are now on their way from Damen Shipyards Galati to Lake Ontario, Canada, to begin operations. Ordered by the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario, Canada, the Amherst Islander II and Wolfe Islander IV, 68 and 98 meters in length respectively, departed the yard on August 26 to be loaded on the semi-submersible transport vessel Super Servant 4 and will arrive in Lake Ontario in mid-September.Both of the open-deck vessels are equipped to be fully-electric…

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…

Wärtsilä’s will deliver its hybrid solution for a new RoRo ferry being built for the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure at the Western Pacific Marine shipyard. When delivered the ferry will serve the Balfour – Kootenay Bay route across Kootenay Lake. “Wärtsilä was selected based on their experience, reputation, and know-how in developing, delivering, and supporting complex hybrid propulsion systems. These capabilities are extremely important to us, and we very much appreciate and welcome Wärtsilä’s support throughout this project…

Torqeedo, Inc. said it has appointed marine industry sales executive Patrick Bucci as senior director for business development for its electric and hybrid propulsion systems.Bucci will be responsible for driving sales growth for Torqeedo’s project sales segment in North America, focusing on recreational, commercial and government opportunities primarily for the Deep Blue product line. He will work with naval architects, marine engineers, shipyards and end-users, along with the Torqeedo engineering team…

Voith reports it will deliver eight electric Voith Schneider Propellers (eVSP) to the Norwegian shipping company Østensjø, for four offshore wind service operation vessels (SOV) that are being built at the Astilleros Gondán shipyard in Spain for delivery from 2022.Østensjø Group's offshore wind business Edda Wind has signed long term time charter deals with MHI Vestas and Ocean Breeze Energy respectively for two of the four offshore wind vessels ordered from Spanish yards.The…

The technology solutions provider for the marine and energy markets Wärtsilä has been selected to provide the complete system design and full equipment scope for two new 9300 DWT self-discharging bulk carriers featuring hybrid propulsion.The Finnish corporation announced that the ships will be the first of their kind to be fitted with a hybrid propulsion solution. They are being built for Norway’s Aasen Shipping at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in the Netherlands. The yard has also designed the vessels. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in December 2019.Wärtsilä was contacted to determine whether a hybrid installation would be beneficial for these new ships.

A pair of 9,300 DWT self-discharging bulk carriers being built for Norway’s Aasen Shipping at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in the Netherlands will be the first of their kind to be fitted with a hybrid propulsion solution.Wärtsilä said it secured an order in December 2019 to provide the complete system design and full equipment scope for two newbuilds.Torbørn Torkelsen, CEO at Aasen Shipping, said, “We approached Wärtsilä because of their capabilities in delivering hybrid propulsion systems.”When contacted to determine whether a hybrid installation would be beneficial for these new ships…

Havyard is taking the next step towards a hydrogen system pilot for large ships. The company is entering the approval phase and has signed agreements with suppliers of  hydrogen tanks and fuel cells.If large vessels are to sail zero emission at high speed over long distances, battery solutions does not contain enough energy. Fuel cells running on hydrogen is a solution to this, and the Havyard Group, with Havyard Design & Solutions and Norwegian Electric Systems, is now conducting…

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies will act as a technology partner in the Pa-X-ell2 project. The goal is to develop a new generation of fuel cells for use on seagoing vessels. For the future project on sustainable, CO2-free mobility at sea, the largest shipyard for the construction of cruise ships – Meyer Werft in Papenburg – and the global technology specialist Freudenberg Sealing Technologies intend to equip future generations of cruise ships with fuel cell propulsion. Besides Meyer Werft…

Part I: Enhancing Engines & Fuels"Wood Mackenzie forecasts a 25 percent increase in price for lower sulfur content fuel based on a SOx scrubber adoption rate of about two percent, but some scenarios could cause LSFO prices to spike by as much as 60 percent."Around 80 percent of global trade is carried by sea. With more than 125,000 commercial and naval vessels operating around the world, ship-engine emissions are projected to rise by 250 percent by 2050 unless controls are imposed.

Metal Shark Expands Internationally with New Croatia Engineering Facility.Shipbuilder Metal Shark has established a foothold across the Atlantic with the opening of a dedicated European engineering office.Metal Shark’s first location outside of the United States, “Metal Shark Croatia” is a new engineering facility recently opened in the city of Rijeka on Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast.The facility currently employs nearly 20 naval architects, machinery systems engineers, and…

In a close collaboration with Svitzer of Denmark, SCHOTTEL has developed a new hybrid propulsion concept. The new concept is based on the recent SCHOTTEL Y-Hybrid thruster technology and connects a port and starboard mounted azimuth thruster in a vessel with each other. This makes it possible to drive two thrusters with either one of the main engines. The companies are now discussing a pilot project to retrofit an existing tug with the new mechanical hybrid technology. This will transform the direct driven vessel into a greener and more cost-efficient vessel.

Sembcorp Marine is breaking new ground in renewable  energy engineering solutions with two separate projects worth over S$200 million (USD 145 mln).The Group has inked an agreement with Ørsted Wind Power subsidiary Optimus Wind Limited for engineering, procurement, construction, hook-up and commissioning works on two topsides, to be deployed at the Hornsea 2 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK North Sea.With a combined weight of approximately 8,700 tonnes, the two topsides will be fabricated at Sembcorp Marine’s integrated yard facilities for delivery in the first quarter of 2021.The 1.4 gigawatt (GW) capacity Hornsea 2 Offshore Wind Farm – the world’s biggest when operational in 2022 – is located 89km north-east of Grimsby…

At gmec, the global maritime environmental congress (gmec) during SMM in Hamburg, high-profile business and science experts discussed how the global shipping industry can achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) environmental goals while continuing to provide its services at competitive prices.“We are at the beginning of a new chapter in the history of shipping,” said Tian-Bing Huang, Deputy Director - Marine Environment Division at the IMO, in his opening keynote.There is no question that the shipping sector is facing huge challenges…