Kongsberg propulsion solutions picked for zero-emission Scandlines ferry

Written by Nick Blenkey
Zero-emissions freight ferry

In zero emissions mode, ferry has crossing time of one hour on Puttgarten/Rødby route.

The zero-emission freight ferry on order for Scandlines at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey will feature a Kongsberg Maritime (KM) propulsion and control system package.

Designed by LMG Marin AS in Norway, the vessel will be the world’s largest all-electric double-ended ferry when it enters service in 2024. Able to carry trucks on both the upper and lower decks, the new ferry will have a length of 147.4 meters, breadth of 25.4 meters and design draft of 5.3 meters. It will have a capacity of 66 freight units and will accommodate 140 passengers.

Kongsberg has been Scandlines’ main propulsion supplier for over two decades, contributing directly in recent years to the ferry company’s emission-reduction strategy.

The new ferry will have a service speed of 16 knots, will be equipped with Kongsberg’s Azipull pulling azimuth thruster. The thruster will be delivered with controllable pitch propellers, in an L-drive configuration with an integrated permanent magnet drive motor. This increases overall energy efficiency while reducing noise and vibrations, as well as reducing the physical footprint of the thruster system compared to previous deliveries.

Kongsberg will also be supplying its Mcon Propulsion & Thruster control system to control and monitor the ferry’s propulsion and steering. It presents operators with an intuitive human/machine interface that allows them to check important parameters at a glance.

The ferry will operate on the Scandlines route between Puttgarden, Germany, and Rødby, Denmark. It will be built as a battery hybrid, but will operate on the crossing in all-electric mode. It will enter service on the route in 2024 following extension of a 50 kV / 25 MW power cable to the ferry berths in Rødby, where a transformer and charging station will be installed. Initially, it will charge only in Rødby. In the longer run, the plan is to also be able to charge in Puttgarden when Scandlines finds a good solution for the purchase of green energy.

“Our ongoing investment in KM technology not only indicates the closeness of our trusted business relationship but also demonstrates our commitment to deploying the most sustainable energy solutions available on the market,” says Michael Guldmann Petersen, COO, Scandlines.

“Scandlines is setting an example which is destined to secure the viability of freight ferries in an environmentally-conscious world,” adds Roy Egil Høydal, senior sales manager, Seaborn & Pax, Kongsberg Maritime, “and we’re very proud to be associated with such a responsible, game-changing project.”

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