
SCHOTTEL to Propel First Hydrogen Ferry
SCHOTTEL's Azimuth Thrusters will propel two environmentally friendly vessels for the Norwegian ferry operator Norled.The first ferry to sail on liquid hydrogen was designed by LMG Marin and is currently under construction at Westcon Yards, Norway.Sigvald Breivik, technical director at Norled: “Our goal is to create a new icon among eco-friendly ferries. Hydrogen, as a zero-emission fuel, will be the alternative energy for ferry propulsion systems in cases where longer sailing distances are required and charging batteries is not possible.

Volvo Penta Powers Hybrid Scandinavian Ferries
Volvo Penta to power three hybrid and hybrid-ready ferries currently being built at GS Marine Production AS. GS Marine is currently building a new ferry for Faroe Island operator, Standfaraskip Landsins. This ferry will have a speed of 20 knots and be powered by two of Volvo Penta’s engines. The D13-700 IMO III engines have a power output of 515kW at 2,250 rpm and will be coupled with a Brunvoll hybrid control system – allowing the vessel to run on the engines or electric alone, and even both in unison.

Interferry Conference Highlights Zero-Emissions
Acknowledging the need to be a leader in the transition to a lower carbon future and eventually net zero emissions, global trade association Interferry convened its 44th annual conference on the theme of innovation - exploring the potential to transform every aspect of the ferry industry. The drive towards zero-emission ferries captured major attention among a record 420 delegates drawn to London earlier this month by a wide-ranging technical, operational and commercial agenda.

SCHOTTEL Wins Deal for Three Hybrid Ferries
SCHOTTEL secured a contract to provide propulsion units for three newly built hybrid ferries under construction at Sembcorp Marine, Singapore. Each of the double ended RoPax ferries will be equipped with two SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 340 FP. The vessels will be driven by an battery/diesel electric hybrid system and will be operated during their transits by green battery power. The main propulsion for the LMG 80-DEH design ferries consists of PM motor driven SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 340 with 2.1 m diameter fixed pitch propellers.

IMO2020: The Rise of Bulk Liquid Hydrogen in Norway
Imagine a power distribution network where excess renewable energy from hydropower, wind, solar, and nuclear energy is converted to hydrogen and used as transportation fuel in the maritime industry. With the allure of a zero emissions fuel, a number of ship owners are starting to seriously consider hydrogen for newly built vessels. As a bold first step, the country of Norway has provided a number of grants to leading maritime companies to conduct feasibility studies into various aspects of this emerging technology sector.

FLAGSHIPS to Deploy Two Hydrogen Vessels
The European project FLAGSHIPS was awarded $5.6m from the EU to support deploying two commercially operated zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vessels in France and Norway.The FLAGSHIPS project contributes in building two new build vessels, one in Lyon, France and one in Stavanger, Norway. In Lyon, a hydrogen push-boat operated by Compagnie Fluvial de Transport (CFT) will serve as a utility vessel on one of its most demanding rivers, the Rhône. In Stavanger, hydrogen is intended…

Martime Propulsion: New Solutions Meet New Emission Demands
Marine propulsion manufacturers are not just responding to but are anticipating tighter performance demands from the U.S. EPA and the IMO by introducing both new and upgraded systems based on state-of-the-art propulsion technologies. Tom Mulligan reviews the latest engine product launches.AIP for MAN cryo Liquid Hydrogen Fuel-Gas systemMAN Cryo, a subsidiary of MAN Energy Solutions, has developed a marine fuel-gas system for liquefied hydrogen in cooperation with Fjord1 and Multi Maritime 0f Norway.

Rolls-Royce Launches Battery System for Ships
Rolls-Royce has been delivering energy storage systems for ships since 2010, but the actual energy storage units were previously supplied by an external party. The company announced today it is launching its own lithium-ion based energy storage system.Energy storage can be a major green investment for a ship owner, with maximized returns when the system is correctly dimensioned for the specific ship, and includes intelligent power control.Rolls-Royce said its new SAVe Energy liquid cooled battery system is cost competitive…

Partners Launch Zero Emissions Ferry Project
By combining existing technologies in a new way, it is possible to build ferries that represent a quantum leap for the environment. That is the idea behind a new R&D project involving four major players in the maritime sector: Rolls-Royce, Color Line, Norled and the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The project has now received a NOK 5.9 million grant from the Research Council of Norway’s ENERGIX program. The ‘Zero Emission Ferry’ project is intended to result in a new electrical system that not only provides more efficient power output and stable operations…

Wärtsilä Tests Wireless Charging for Hybrid Coastal Ferry
Wärtsilä informs it has tested its automatic wireless induction charging system on a hybrid powered commercial coastal ferry, the first in the world operating with high power wireless charging capability for its batteries. The tests were carried out in Norwegian during the end of August and early September on the 85 meter long MF Folgefonn owned by Norled, one of Norway's largest ferry operators waters. The project, partially funded by Innovation Norway, represents a breakthrough in the evolution of plug-in electrically operated vessels, Wärtsilä said.

Catching the Electric Vision
All bets would have been lost if one was to predict that I would never find one of the most advanced and modern workboats in the heart of the Norwegian Fjordlands. Sure enough, if you make the trek to Flam through nearly 50 tunnels in between the prominent towns of Bergen and Oslo, you will behold such a craft. The 40 meter Vision of the Fjords was recently constructed by Brødrene Aa shipyard in Norway and delivered to The Fjords AD earlier this year in June. The vessel is simply striking…

Finnish Battery-powered Ferry Due for 2017 Delivery
Siemens has been commissioned to provide the complete electro-technical solution for Finland’s first battery-powered car ferry. The Finnish shipping company FinFerries has ordered the newbuilding from the Polish shipyard CRIST S.A. The environmentally-friendly ferry will improve the transport options between Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku Archipelago. It will be approximately 90 meters long by 16 meters wide with capacity for a maximum of 90 cars. Operation on the 1.6 kilometer-long route will begin in summer 2017.
Improved Performance for Lithium Ion Battery Systems
Corvus Energy has validated and is restating the product specifications for its lithium ion battery systems reflecting that the system has double the RMS power capability and substantially more energy capacity than previously reported. As part of its ongoing testing regimen, Corvus worked closely with LAEC and its founder, Dr. Majid Bahrami, at its state-of-the-art testing lab located at Simon Fraser University (SFU) on an extensive series of tests of the performance and characteristics of the AT6500 platform.

Battery-powered Ferry Enters Service in Norway
The world’s first electrical car and passenger ferry powered by batteries has entered service in Norway, representing a milestone on the road to operating emission-free ferries along Norway’s coastline, with at least 50 other routes currently able to sustain battery-operated vessels. The Norled ferry uses just 150 kWh per route, which corresponds to three days use of electricity in a standard Norwegian household. Built in conjunction with shipbuilder Fjellstrand, Siemens installed…

Rolls-Royce to Supply Propulsion for Battery-Powered Ferry
Rolls-Royce has signed a contract for the delivery of its Azipull propulsion and control system for the "ferry of the future," a new vessel which will operate on battery power alone. The vessel is being built at the Fjellstrand yard in Norway, and once in service will be operated by Norwegian transport company Norled between Lavik and Oppedal. In 2010, the Norwegian Ministry of Transport announced a tender to develop a new ferry that was 15-20% more energy efficient than existing vessels.

Direct Comparison of Waterjets
Two recent refits of waterjets are unique in one respect that they allow a direct comparison between waterjet brands, while everything else remains unchanged. Waterjets from Marine Jet Power were recently used to solve some significant propulsion issues and in one case the exchange even helped a yard to achieve its project goals leading to the fact that the yard finally was able to deliver the ships to the owners. In the first case, the operator of a 10-year-old vessel decided to change to MJP DRB jets due to significant service and corrosion issues on the existing waterjets.

Norway: Seeking Lead on Battery Powered Vessels
The Norwegian shipping industry is teaming up and has taken a leading role in developing battery-powered ships. The first four hybrid vessels will start to sail in 2013/14. In 2015, they will be followed by the world largest fully electric ferry, which will regularly cross Norway’s largest fjord. Some 120 managers representing the entire maritime cluster were gathered at a DNV seminar last week. “15 years ago, the Norwegian cluster was looking into opportunities for gas-fuelled ships. Today, Norway is the front-runner when it comes to LNG-fuelled ships.