Q&A: 10 minutes with Leo Hambro of Tidal Transit

Leo Hambro.

Leo Hambro, co-founder and director of U.K.-based crew transfer vessel specialist Tidal Transit recently sat down with Marine Log to discuss electric and hybrid vessels.

Marine Log (ML): What are the main challenges involved in the transition to electric vessels?

Leo Hambro (LH): The move to fully electric vessels presents a significant challenge, primarily because the industry has relied on diesel for so long. There will be a cost to the transition but in long-term capex, rather than opex.  Not only do the vessels themselves need to be re-designed and fitted with battery propulsion, but the critical supporting infrastructure like shoreside and offshore charging is also in need of strong investment and development.

Like with any new technology, cost will always be a barrier. However, as the technology evolves and proves itself as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, it will benefit from stronger investment, more focused R&D, and will eventually be able to take full advantage of economies of scale, becoming far cheaper and more accessible globally. Take batteries, for example, the price of which have plummeted in recent decades while at the same time  performance has strengthened considerably.

ML: Is there a place for hybrid vessels?

LH: As battery power and propulsion technology evolves, supporting infrastructure is developed, and new operational models are put in place to prepare for the transition to 100% electric, hybrid vessels make a very good interim solution.

A vessel fitted with both batteries and internal combustion could set sail with a full battery to a site up to 30 to 40 miles offshore, using almost entirely battery power but supported with a small amount of diesel for range extension. At location, hybrid vessels can charge up and use 100% electric for operations, and then use a little diesel on the way back to shore. This type of operation can reduce diesel consumption by over 90%, which could even then be replaced with hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO), methanol or other alternative fuels.

Being fuel agnostic, this type of system will lead to an impactful reduction in carbon emissions and offers a more economical and sustainable alternative to diesel power while we transition to fully electric.

ML: Can the transition to electric be sustainable?

LH: If we are to sustainably shift to electric, the circular economy challenge of the transition must also be brought into question. For instance, what happens to diesel-powered vehicles once batteries become the mainstay power source of maritime operations? Decommissioning older vessels exhibits a large and unnecessary waste and resource problem, whereas exporting to other countries risks displacing carbon footprints elsewhere—essentially nullifying the move away from internal combustion.

It’s critical therefore to consider the carbon emissions outside of those as a direct results from materials and manufacturing, and expand our considerations to the waste and carbon footprint accompanying the move itself. Mapping out how we reach emissions-free maritime is just as crucial as reaching the goal itself, and it’s for this reason that the circularity of the transition must be built in from the very start.

One solution for a more sustainable transition to electrification is through retrofitting. Instead of scrapping older diesel-powered vessels, the maritime operators can upgrade vessels with newer, more efficient technologies like battery propulsion, allowing them to extend the service life of existing ships by years while at the same time reducing the need for virgin materials and manufacture.

ML: What’s the current state of charging infrastructure? Can it keep up with the transition to electrification?

LH: The biggest challenge we’re facing in the journey towards electrification is the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure, both shoreside and offshore. Therefore, it’s critical that charging capabilities are developed alongside electric vessels to expand our ability to charge up at port and at sea.

While onshore charging solutions can provide a convenient and reliable means for electric vessels to replenish their energy reserves at port, it’s offshore charging infrastructure that really holds the keys to 100% electrification. It allows vessels to top up batteries on location by drawing renewable electricity directly from wind turbines. Not only does this greatly reduce downtime by extending vessels’ time on the water, but provides the most direct and efficient source of power—from the wind to the ship with almost no energy lost.

ML: Finally, what do you see as the long-term goal of marine electrification?

LH: The ultimate, long-term future of charging infrastructure is one where all ports are fitted with quayside charging and all wind farms are adapted to serve as offshore charging stations for all of maritime, on top of those servicing the wind sector itself. Only when this challenge of onshore and offshore charging is solved can the industry truly decarbonize and move the needle towards 100% electrification.