Schottel delivers propulsion units for world’s first emissions-free push boat

The Elektra, currently under construction at the Hermann Barthel shipyard in Derben, Germany, will be the world’s first emission-free push boat. Image: TU Berlin, Department of Design and Operation of Maritime Systems

Spay, Germany, headquartered propulsion specialist Schottel is to supply two rudderpropellers for the innovative push boat Elektra.

Currently under construction at the Hermann Barthel shipyard in Derben, Germany, Elektra, will be the world’s first emissions-free push boat,

As we reported earlier, energy supply on the almost 20 m long and 8.20 m wide push boat will be provided solely by gaseous hydrogen, fuel cells and rechargeable batteries.

The boat is being built for Berlin warehousing and logistics firm Behala and developed at the Department of Design and Operation of Maritime Systems at the Technical University of Berlin,

Schottel’s supply for the Elektra includes two 200 kW Rudderpropellers SRP 100 with nozzles. (200 kW each) and a Schottel steering and control system. A minimum service speed of max. 10 km/h is reached and a maximum thrust load of 1,400 tonnes is available.

The vessel will use the fuel cell technology for the basic energy supply of the power train and for the shipboard electrical system. At peak loads, additional energy is provided by the batteries. The hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell is generated via electrolysis from green electricity generated by wind power.

“The Elektra shows what is possible. It demonstrates – not only as a push boat, but in particular as a model for electrical energy concepts for many maritime areas – that an energy turnaround is quite possible,” says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerd Holbach, Project Manager at TU Berlin for the Department of Design and Operation of Maritime Systems. “We are pleased to have Schottel by our side as an expert in the field of propulsion technology.”