Battery Banks News

Sanmar has held a ceremony to mark the delivery of four of its fully electric ElectRA tugboats to Türkiye’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas pipelines and trading company, BOTAŞ.The four eco-friendly, emissions-free harbor tugs are based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. They will operate at the BOTAŞ Marmara Ereğlisi LNG Terminal and the BOTAŞ Saros FSRU Terminal, both of which are of strategic importance to ensuring Türkiye’s energy security.The ceremony was held at Sanmar’s Tuzla Shipyard on Friday…

While political winds in the U.S. have significantly tampered many ‘green’ projects, Curtin Maritime is domiciled in California, which is globally known for its strict environmental initiatives. To that end, Curtin Maritime inked a contract recently to invest $160m for eight new hybrid-electric tugboats, vessels being built by Snow & Co. and featuring vertically integrated electric powertrains from Arc with Schottel propulsion. Maritime Reporter TV interviewed Martin Curtin, CEO…

Cat Pushes Forward on Hybrid Electric Solutions, Alternative FuelsAs the maritime industry continues its transformation driven by decarbonization mandates, OEMs like Caterpillar are central to paving the path. Will Watson, Marine Product Manager, Caterpillar, discusses latest efforts by the company to unlock the potential with hybrid electric and alternative fuel solutions.Key Takeaways to Caterpillar Marine’s Hybrid Propulsion•Hybrid Propulsion Systems: Diesel + battery solutions…

Stralsunder Ostseestaal GmbH & Co. KG and its Ampereship business unit delivered two electric solar ferries to Lago d'Iseo near Bergamo in northern Italy as planned. The client was the responsible local authority of the operator Navigazione Lago d'Iseo, and the new vessels are the first fully electric ferries in Italy.Measuring 25 x 6.6m, the Iseo ferries each have two electric drives with 100 kW output. Electricity is supplied by two battery banks with a total capacity of around 750 kWh.

R.W. Fernstrum & Company, founded by Robert W. Fernstrum 75 years ago, is a quintessential U.S. manufacturing story. The company was born in the aftermath of WWII, founded on an invention developed during the war by Robert Fernstrum to help solve an engine overheating problem that was plaguing U.S. Navy landing craft. Family owned and operated from day one, today the company includes a fourth generation of family that aims to continue the legacy of its founder, a legacy built on effective…

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has cited survey failings in the results of its investigation into the loss of propulsion control and subsequent contact with a moored barge by Oceandiva London.On June 22, 2023, the inland waterways passenger vessel lost propulsion control and contacted a moored hopper barge at Halfway Reach on the River Thames, London. Oceandiva London was undergoing propulsion trials as part of its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) survey required…

Dutch company Huisman has secured its first contract from Coastal International Marine, part of Malaysia-based oil and gas services company Coastal Contracts, for the supply of deepwater Knuckle Boom Crane.The Knuckle Boom Crane has a lifting capacity of 100 mt and features a deepwater winch and active heave compensation.Huisman recently introduced its optimised KBC series, designed specifically for the offshore subsea construction market.The optimised models align with the latest trends in offshore construction vessels…

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…

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.

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…

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…