Scandlines is aiming to have its fleet of six hybrid ferries operating fully with zero emission batteries by 2018, the company said in its press release.
Image: scandilines
The plug-in hybrid ferries can be charged by shore power and will run purely on battery power during the first and last 20-minute periods of the voyage. The batteries will then recharge during the middle part of the voyage when diesel engines will be used.
Marc Bergstein, director of special projects for Scandlines, said: “This would be the first step towards zero emissions.”
At State of Green in Copenhagen last week, Mr Bergstein said that Scandlines had invested over €25 million on green technologies on the ferries on the Puttgarden-Rodby route from Denmark to the north coast of Germany. This is said to reduce CO2 emissions by 15% when fully implemented.
Image: Scandilines
There are already four hybrid ferries operating on the Puttgarden-Rodby route, and two larger hybrid vessels are being phased in on the Rostock–Gedser route but these are not running optimally.
The Danish-German ferry operator said that they will be looking for a partner to work with on developing shore-based charging infrastructure.
Source: Seatrade Global