Kongsberg Maritime to provide propulsion system for zero-emissions ferry

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) is to supply a complete propulsion system including a control system package for a zero-emissions Scandlines ferry. KM says that, upon completion, the vessel will be the world’s largest all-electric double-ended ferry.

The 147.4m-long ferry will be supplied with KM’s Azipull – a pulling azimuth thruster capable of propelling the vessel to a service speed of 16kts. The thruster will feature controllable pitch propellers in an L-drive configuration with an integrated permanent magnet drive motor. The design will help to increase overall energy efficiency in addition to delivering noise and vibration reduction. The thruster system will also have a smaller physical footprint than previously supplied systems.

Additionally, the company will also supply its Mcon Propulsion & Thruster Control System to control and monitor the ferry’s propulsion and steering. The system will enable operators to check the parameters of equipment health, magnitude and direction of thrust through a human machine interface.

Infrastructure is also being updated to support the new Scandlines ferry, with the 25MW power cable laid by the company in Rødby Harbor in 2019 being extended to the ferry berths. A new transformer and charging station will also be installed.

The Scandlines freight ferry will serve a route between Puttgarden, on the German island of Fehmarn, and Rødby in Denmark. The emission-free crossings will be completed in just over an hour, and if operated as a hybrid, the ferry can complete the crossing in 45 minutes.

Designed by LMG Marin AS in Norway, the ferry will be built at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey ahead of entering service in 2024. The latest ferry will be the company’s first next-generation vessel as it aims to conduct emission-free operations. With a capacity of 1,200 lane meters, the new vessel will increase freight transportation capabilities on the route by approximately 23%.

“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,” commented Michael Guldmann Petersen, COO of Scandlines.

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