Hybrid Systems News

With a growing focus on mitigating climate change and progressing toward the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 net-zero target, the marine sector is under intense pressure to decarbonize. Today, maritime transport emits nearly one billion tons of CO2 annually, representing roughly 2-3% of all energy-related carbon emissions worldwide .Substantial progress has been made over the past decade in reducing emissions from small commercial and coastal vessels via all-electric and diesel-electric propulsion (DEP) systems.

In a deal to deliver immersive training at scale to the maritime industry, ABS has signed an agreement to purchase the MetaSHIP intellectual property and related vessel simulator software assets from Orka Informatics as part of the strategic growth plan for ABS Training Solutions.The acquisition, subject to Turkish regulatory approval, will allow ABS to expand its digital training program, which can be delivered on board, in port or at home, as well as in a global network of high-tech ABS learning centers in Qatar, Greece and Singapore.

As maritime industries accelerate toward electrification, the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) has issued a warning: lithium-ion batteries—the same technology powering the global shift to hybrid and all-electric vessels—pose a unique and evolving threat when things go wrong. The April 2025 white paper, Lithium Battery Fire Hazards in the Maritime Environment, lays out the risks, firefighting challenges, and post-incident dangers associated with lithium battery fires at sea…

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…

Siemens Energy has had its hands on a number of groundbreaking ship design and construction projects globally, projects that highlight the possibilities and the challenges inherent in being a technology pioneer. Ed Schwarz, Head of Marine Solutions Sales for Siemens Energy in the US and Canada, give an insider’s view of some practical steps to take if electrification is on an organization’s fleet expansion agenda.Energy transition is everywhere you turn in maritime today, and electric solutions are an important and growing part of the mix…

Corvus Energy will deliver a mega-size battery system for the first fully electric offshore vessel ever to be built. The vessel is an electric Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (eCSOV) that will be constructed by Armon shipyard in Spain for UK-based shipowner Bibby Marine Ltd.For the project, Corvus Energy will supply its Blue Whale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) delivering close to 25MWh of power for the vessel. According to Corvus, it will be the largest LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery system ever delivered to a maritime project.Unique…

The ocean sector finds itself in a critical moment, especially as the demand to decarbonize grows. Though long-haul is still the biggest emitter in the maritime industry, the need to decarbonize smaller commercial and coastal vessels, including cruise ships, passenger ferries, platform supply vessels (PSVs), offshore service vessels (OSVs), and research ships, is on the rise. Particularly, passenger ferries are pushing into uncharted waters, increasingly being scrutinized by municipal, state, and federal regulators for their environmental impact.

Timo Vesala, Account Manager, Americas, at ABB Marine & Ports, is responsible for newbuild sales in the Americas market. Since joining ABB in 2018, he has gathered extensive experience in the marine industry with a focus on electrification and propulsion systems. He holds a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University, Finland, and has a passion for clean technology and maritime decarbonization. This month, in our annual Power & Propulsion edition, he weighs…

OSK Design has launched the OSK Energy Insight calculator, an innovative tool designed to assist shipowners and operators in evaluating alternative energy options and reducing their environmental footprint.The OSK Energy Insight calculator simplifies the process of evaluating different energy solutions by offering a comprehensive analysis of energy data, OSK Design said.It generates detailed reports, showing shipowners the impact of transitioning to alternative energy sources…

Singapore-based shipbuilder Strategic Marine announced it has delivered two 42-meter Fast Crew Boats (FCB) to ADNOC L&S, the global energy maritime logistics arm of UAE's ADNOC Group.The 42m FCBs are equipped with advanced technology such as gyro-stabilization to reduce vessel rolling motion and hybrid systems for carbon reduction and increased efficiency, the builder said. In addition, the newbuilds each feature an optimized hull design for enhanced speed and fuel efficiency…

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. Morgan Fanberg, CEO, Glosten; Robert Ekse, President, Elliott Bay Design Group; and Wade Carson, CEO, Vard Marine, weigh in on topics ranging from digitalization and decarbonization to the naval architect talent pool.How are advances in digitalization and AI impacting the naval architecture business today? How will…

Electric motor startup H3X on Tuesday announced it has raised $20 million through an oversubscribed Series A round led by Infinite Capital, with participation from Hanwha Asset Management, Cubit Capital, Origin Ventures, Industrious Ventures, Venn10 Capital, and follow-on investors that include Lockheed Martin Ventures, Metaplanet, Liquid 2 Ventures and TechNexus.Denver-based H3X manufactures high power density electric motors for aviation, marine, industrial and defense applications.

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.

Bluestone Group, a maritime technical services company, has secured a contract for plan approval and site supervision of two new cutting-edge cable-laying vessels operated by Prysmian.The two new cable-laying vessels, the first of which is under construction and the second under design, will reinforce Prysmian’s submarine project execution capabilities.The first vessel, which will be an evolution of Prysmian’s preceding vessel, Monna Lisa, is being built by the VARD Group, a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group.With a length of approximately 190 meters and a breadth of about 34 meters…

SEACOR Marine announced it will convert four of its platform supply vessels (PSV) to battery hybrid power in a move to enhance efficiency and slash emissions.The Houston-headquartered marine transportation firm said on Thursday it has ordered containerized energy storage systems (ESS) from Norway's Kongsberg Maritime for install aboard SEACOR Ohio, SEACOR Alps, SEACOR Andes and SEACOR Atlas.The four 278.4-foot-long PSVs are all of Kongsberg Maritime's UT771 CDL design and were built in China from 2018 to 2020.

Fuel flexibility may be a key driver for recent developments in gensets, but the perennial goals of lowering CapEx and OpEx remain.Fuel flexibility is one of the pillars of decarbonization that is being embraced by genset OEMs. Fuel efficiency, a second pillar, goes hand in hand with that because new fuels will be more expensive, but these concerns come in addition to the on-going drive to reduce CapEx and OpEx for shipowners.MAN Energy Solutions introduced its auxiliary MAN 35/44DF CD engine in June 2023. It is designed to be future-proof and will be ready for methanol operation by 2026.

Aluminium vessel builder Strategic Marine has signed a memorandum of understanding with Purus Wind’s UK-based crew transfer vessel owner HST Marine, to build three Brevity-class crew transfer vessels. The agreement binds the two parties to negotiations on a vessel building contract for the Chartwell Marine-designed 27-meter catamarans. The Brevity-class designs, launched in June 2022, are designed to serve the offshore wind support vessel market.The Brevity class CTVs, able to accommodate 32 people…

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.

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…

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore's Normand Naley and Sea Frost platform supply vessels have been awarded five-year contracts by Equinor in the UK.Both contracts, of an undisclosed value, will be in effect for five years, starting in January 2023. The contracts include options for further extensions.The Sea Frost, which has been on contract with Equinor since 2017, will be upgraded with a battery-hybrid system and shore power as part of the contract. The Normand…

Allseas is fitting its pipelay vessels Solitaire and Audacia, as well as the multi-purpose vessel Fortitude, with hybrid power technology from Kongsberg Maritime.The offshore installation firm says that vessel hybridization is key to its strategy to minimize the impact on the environment by optimizing efficiency and reducing emissions across its operations."Energy storage technology optimizes energy and load-sharing capability. Batteries store energy when demand is low and deliver it back when demand increases, shaving peaks in power demand. The result is optimal engine loading with improved fuel efficiency and reduced running hours."…

The U.S. Navy released on Tuesday a climate strategy that aims to make the force more resilient to changes like sea level rise and coastal erosion while moving faster to low-carbon fuels and hybrid engines for ships and planes.The Climate Action 2030 plan, is part of the Biden administration's wider goal of decarbonizing the economy by 2050."By building a climate ready force, our sailors and Marines will be able to fight and win anywhere in the world in any condition," Meredith Berger…

Three Solstad Offshore platform supply vessels (PSV) have secured new contracts with energy company ConocoPhillips Skandinavia, the Norwegian offshore vessels owner announced on Thursday.Normand Server, Normand Supporter and Normand Fortune, each on charter with ConocoPhillips Scandinavia since 2018, have been extended to continue support activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.The new contracts will start in direct continuation of current firm periods, and keep the vessels fully utilized to Q1/Q2 2027.The three vessels were built from 2011 through 2013 at Norwegian yards (Normand Fortune at Kleven and Normand Supporter and Normand Server at Vard Langsten) and range from 85.6 to 94.2 meters in length. Each is fitted with battery-hybrid systems in addition to shore power.