Kongsberg Maritime wins Hurtigruten ESS retrofit contract

Three vessels – Richard With, Nordlys and Kong Harald – are to receive propulsion system and engine retrofits from Kongsberg Maritime. The work involves replacing each vessel’s existing engines with two Bergen B33:45V main movers. The engines will be equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to ensure compliance with IMO Tier III regulations. The new engines will be fully compatible with Kongsberg’s digital management solutions. Data from onboard sensors will be collated and shared via the K-IMS (Information Management System) application and analysed using Vessel Insight.

The three vessels will also be retrofitted with 2 x SAVe Energy 1.12MWh lithium-ion energy storage systems. The ESS wo;; be controlled via Kongsberg Maritime’s SAVe CUBE integrated drive switchboard. Kongsberg Maritime notes that the single-cabinet solution includes all frequency converters, drives and DC switching equipment necessary for the hybrid system, controlling all connected thrusters, saving space and simplifying cooling and installation.

The vessels will also be equipped with shaft generators, which will supply electrical power. The system will be managed by a custom installation of the K-Chief 700 Power Management system.

The delivery scope also encompasses reblading of the main propellers, new thruster motors, AC switching, safety and telegraph systems, in addition to full system integration and commissioning.

The work is intended to lower CO2 emissions by at least 25% on the three vessels, which operate on routes along the coast of Norway. The first retrofit project will be carried out at Norwegian shipyard Myklebust Verft.

“This is one of the largest environmental vessel upgrade projects to be undertaken in Europe,” President Egil Haugsdal of Kongsberg Maritime said.