Experts discuss the special concerns when designing battery technology for marine environments. There is growing worldwide demand for electric-powered vessels and for broader electrification in maritime operations, particularly in ports. Consider the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, for example. Air pollution from those ports is a top concern for environmental and public health… Read more »
A shipyard in Guangzhou, the capital of China’s Guangdong province, has launched what it says is the world’s first all-electric cargo ship. According to China Daily, the 230-foot vessel uses a 2,400 kWh battery system comprised of 1,000 individual lithium-ion packs. Range is 50 miles with a load of 2,200 tons of cargo and a… Read more »
Swiss battery-maker Leclanché’s new Marine Rack System (MRS), a modular Li-ion battery system, has won approval by the international certification body DNV-GL. Leclanché will use the MRS on the E-ferry in Denmark, the world’s largest electric ferry, which is equipped with a 4.3 MWh Leclanché lithium-ion battery, and is scheduled for launch later this year…. Read more »
Since it entered service in 1904, the Föri ferry in the Finnish city of Turku has been upgraded from steam to diesel power, and now to electricity. Finland’s oldest operating ferry has now become the nation’s first all-electric passenger vessel after being fitted with a new electric powertrain from Visedo. Local boatyard Mobimar performed the… Read more »
Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) will deliver plug-in hybrid electric systems for three new ferries to be designed by Multi Maritime and built by Havyard Ship Technology. Each ferry has a capacity of 50 cars and 199 persons. Two will operate on the route between Brekstad and Valset, and one between Sandvikvåg and Husavik. The first… Read more »
The Taiwanese harbor city of Kaohsiung has launched a new hybrid ferry. Visedo OY, a Finnish manufacturer of electric drivetrains for marine vessels and other heavy-duty applications, worked alongside Taiwan’s Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC) to retrofit the 100-ton, 23-meter-long passenger ferry with a Visedo electric propulsion system, replacing the original 300 hp… Read more »
Marine motor manufacturer Torqeedo will introduce three new products for electric mobility on the water at the upcoming Electric and Hybrid Marine World Expo Florida and Miami International Boat Show. Torqeedo has adapted BMW’s i3 battery to work with its 40 or 80 hp Deep Blue outboard motors. The prismatic cell design provides efficient cooling… Read more »
The advantages of electrifying transportation are far-reaching. Advanced energy storage systems are even making their way into the commercial marine industry. There are many marine applications in which adding a large Li-ion battery pack makes a lot of sense. The best-use case varies depending on the boat size and purpose. All-electric ferries, for example, are… Read more »
The electromobility revolution will not stop at the water’s edge. Large commercial vessels such as ferries are already going electric in Scandinavia. Meanwhile, some European countries are banning gas-burning motors on environmentally sensitive lakes and rivers, creating a demand for small and medium-size electric outboards. One company hoping to lead the electrification of the world’s… Read more »
XALT Energy has won a contract to supply cells for the two largest battery-powered ferries in the world. Each of the two Scandlines ferries, which run between Helsingborg, Denmark and Helsingör, Sweden, will have 4.16 MWh batteries to provide power for primary propulsion. The energy storage system was designed by Plan B Energy Storage (PBES),… Read more »