Maritime technology company Kongsberg has partnered with Swiss battery maker Leclanché to introduce low- and zero-emissions technology to the marine industry.

Battery-powered vessels are becoming more common in the maritime industry – companies such as Rolls-Royce are developing their own maritime battery systems.

Leclanché’s batteries will be an integral part of Kongsberg’s hybrid and electric solutions. Through the partnership, Leclanché will deliver battery systems for nine vessels, totaling 45 MWh of battery capacity. Leclanché will build the systems at its facility in Switzerland, and the cells at its plant in Willstätt, Germany.

Kongsberg and Leclanché are already working on two projects together. The first project to be jointly executed will be the Yara Birkeland, an autonomous and electric container vessel with zero emissions ordered by Yara, a Norwegian chemicals company.

The second project is for the Grimaldi Group, an Italian operator of roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels. The hybrid propulsion system delivered by Kongsberg includes the supply and integration of shaft generators, frequency drives, and energy management systems together with Leclanché battery systems. The Grimaldi ships will be the first in a new series of hybrid Ro-Ro vessels that use fossil fuel during navigation and batteries to provide peak-shaving functions and electricity in port.

“Leclanché’s ability to cover the complete value chain from design and production of lithium cells in Europe, to full battery systems certified for marine applications, together with our proprietary hybrid power technology, positions us together as a single, unified supplier of electrification solutions that

will deliver lower operational expenditure and enable environmental sustainability for all vessel types,” said Frode Kaland, EVP Supply Chain for Kongsberg Maritime.

Source: Kongsberg