Keel laid for Singapore’s first all-electric cargo vessel

The fully electric lighter craft, Hydromover, will be able to carry up to 12 passengers and 35 tonnes of cargo. It will be supported by equipped with battery packs that can be swapped for charging while the vessel carries out its operations uninterrupted.

The vessel, owned by Yinson GreenTech and designed by SeaTech, will be the first to use Shift Clean Energy’s PwrSwäp technology, a pay-as-you-go energy subscription service that provides instant clean, renewable energy to ships without risk or obligations.

Hydromover is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2023 and ready for commercialisation in 2024. It will reduce fuel costs by approximately 77% and save approximately 752 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the atmosphere.

Yinson Executive Vice President New Ventures and Technology, Eirik Barclay, said: “Goal Zero is made up of like-minded and synergistic partners who are fully committed to helping the marine industry transition to net zero. Since being awarded the grant, we have achieved many important milestones, which have culminated in today’s keel laying to mark the official commencement of construction.”

Singapore has 1,600 licensed diesel-powered harbour craft and aims for them to operate on low-carbon energy solutions by 2030 and to halve carbon emissions by 2050. The Goal Zero consortium received one of the three grants awarded by Maritime Port Authority and the Singapore Maritime Institute in August 2021 to research, develop, deploy and commercialize a fully electric cargo vessel with swappable battery infrastructure solutions.

Shift Clean Energy received approval from ABS for its lithium-ion battery-based energy storage solution in July 2022. To date, around 100 vessels have registered interest for PwrSwäp and 12 locations are planned to open by mid 2023.

Brent Perry, CEO and founder of Shift, commented: “We are thrilled to be a part of this momentous day and are honoured to be a member of the Goal Zero consortium. It’s never been more critical to decarbonize the marine industry and partnerships like these are integral to moving the needle on decarbonization. PwrSwäp’s industry leading, safe and clean technology will play a vital role in revolutionizing the operations of the harbor craft sector in the Port of Singapore and beyond and helping the maritime industry meet IMO’s greenhouse gas emission targets for 2050.”