Echandia to supply batteries for Danish ferries

The two new ferries will operate Alslinjen and Samsølinjen in Denmark starting in 2024. They are designed by OSK-ShipTech for Molslinjen and will be built by Cemre Shipyard for delivery in 2024.

The new vessels will have a capacity of 600 passengers, and 188 cars and a total length of 116,8 meters. The vessels are prepared for autonomous sailing between ports, with automatic docking and charging at quay. The energy storage of 3,1 MWh and 3,8 MWh respectively will be fully charged in 20-25 minutes.

The choice of Echandia’s system was made based on a substantially lower total cost of ownership combined with outstanding safety features and low weight. Echandia says its battery systems have a high degree of utilization of installed capacity, which results in an overall system size and weight that few competing systems can match. As an additional advantage, this leads to a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

Ole Berg-Hansen, Chief Engineer Molslinjen, said: “The maritime world is now developing at a rapid pace towards zero-emission solutions and increasingly large ships can be operated with batteries alone. Molslinjen’s investments in fully electric passenger ferries that are charged with energy from green wind power represent a new paradigm for maritime electrification. This is in line with Echandia’s vision for the future, with electric, autonomous ships that create quiet and clean and safe passenger experiences.”

In the past, Echandia have successfully delivered battery systems to the tugboat market and commuter passenger ferries. The contract for the new Molslinjen ferries represents a significant step for Echandia into the market segment for larger RoRo and RoPax ferries.

In June, Echandia received a second order from Green City Ferries AB. Green City Ferries is expanding its waterborne public transport in Stockholm with another ambitious zero-emission Beluga24 vessel. The Beluga24 is the world’s first fully emission-free, high-speed, carbon fibre catamaran, and Echandia has been chosen to provide energy solutions for the vessels.

Late last year, Echandia announced its first order for a fuel cell energy solution to power the first Beluga24 vessel from Green City Ferries.

Earlier this year, Echandia entered into an agreement to deepen its collaboration with Toshiba and focus on the development of fuel-cell technology combined with batteries to accelerate electrification of the maritime sector. Historically, Echandia has built its successful Lithium Titanium Oxide (LTO) based battery systems based on the Toshiba rechargeable LTO battery cell SCiB.