Damen delivers five e-ferries to Copenhagen operator

Written by Nick Blenkey
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The Damen E-Ferry 2306 is a customized design, specifically developed for the Copenhagen public transportation fender

Damen Shipyards Group has delivered five 23.3 meter x 5.6 meter, 50-passenger electric ferries to Arriva Denmark in Copenhagen. They are being operated on behalf of Danish public transport agency Movia.

When the agency issued the public tender for waterborne public transportation in Copenhagen, its aim was to upgrade the service, making it cleaner and more sustainable. These ferries will reduce the city’s public transportation NOX emissions by 2.5%, CO2 emissions by 10% and particulate emissions by 66%.

The vessels are based on Damen’s E3 philosophy—environmentally friendly, efficient in operation and economically viable.

Propulsion is via a specially developed zero-emissions driveline that is powered by a 120 kWh battery system comprising two separate battery strings placed in the main compartment. Charging of the system occurs through automated fast charging at both end locations of the ferry route.

Main engines are two e-motors, each with a propulsive power of 55 kW @ 800 rpm and each turning a fixed pitch propeller to deliver a 7 knot service speed.

Damen says that the vessel’s sustainable credentials have been achieved using a series of innovative, digital shipbuilding techniques. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were applied to the hull design, minimizing resistance in the water, while cutting-edge software measured the relationship between engine torque and propeller speed. This resulted in the optimal use of battery packs for reduced weight, energy consumption and—ultimately—costs of operation.

The ferries are prepared for remote monitoring and incorporate a network of sensors, enabling Damen’s remote monitoring department to set up a dashboard tracking such things as sailing patterns, battery lifecycle and swell dynamics. This allows fine-tuning of the operation for greater efficiency and reduced downtime for maintenance.

For this project Damen has acted as an integrator, or complete solution provider. This has involved, for example investigating shore solutions for electricity supply—in alignment with Movia’s requirement that 60% of the electricity for the operation comes from a sustainable source.

Martin Verstraaten, Damen sales manager, says, “This, in my opinion, is where Damen really adds value to a project. Our involvement is not limited to the shipbuilding scope alone, we take responsibility for the entirety of the project. We provide a focal point where all partners involved the project come together to fulfil their individual roles in alignment with one another. With this, the project benefits from cohesive, centralised direction for maximum efficiency.”

Working closely together with Echandia Marine, Heliox and Staubli, Damen developed a solution that takes just seven minutes to charge the ferries at the end of each trip they make. The charging solution features an innovative auto-mooring system to ensure a secure connection between the vessel and charging infrastructure.

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