More than a dozen shipping-related organizations, including flag states, research institutions, battery and propulsion suppliers, fire extinguishing system providers and ship operators, have formed a joint development project to advance the understanding of the use of lithium-ion batteries in the shipping industry.

The new project aims to create a deep pool of expertise from different perspectives, in order to better understand the challenges of expanding the use of batteries in the maritime realm.

“Including batteries in ships, whether as a hybrid or fully electric system, offers the industry the opportunity to improve fuel economy, reliability and operational costs,” says Geir Dugstad, a spokesman for DNV GL, a marine registrar and classification society that is one of the project partners. “For this technology to fully take hold, however, knowledge and requirements must be in place to ensure that we have products and a safety regime that address the concerns of all stakeholders.”

“With the new advances in alternative fuels, it’s our ambition to actively partner with the maritime industry and contribute to solutions that satisfy vessel safety and environmental impact, while also taking the industry’s commercial needs into consideration,” says Olav Akselsen, Director General of the Norwegian Maritime Authority.

“We put a great deal of effort into ensuring the safety of these new alternative systems, but the cost of the present safety and approval methodology is cumbersome,” said Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect and Officer at ferry owner Scandlines. “This collaborative effort gives a chance for an even greater level of safety, while also ensuring that these new and advanced technologies can be implemented to a greater extent.”

Source: DNV GL