Shape of things to come

The 40MWh energy storage system (ESS) is four times larger than any battery installation that has been constructed and installed for a marine transport application. 

The project, which includes Wärtsilä and Corvus Energy among its project partners, will also see one of the first installations of a new ESS supplied by Corvus.

The cylindrical Lithium-ion batteries using nickel, manganese and cobalt (NMC) cathodes used in the Dolphin NextGen ESS are mature technologies. Halvard Hauso of Corvus Energy told The Motorship that the new cylindrical NMC cells offer a significantly lighter weight, lower C rate and higher power density than previous Li-Ion based solutions, and that this had significantly reduced the weight required by the battery installation. The cylindrical dimensions of the ESS, and the elimination of racks, meant that more Dolphin NextGen cells could be stored within battery rooms, without compromising safety standards.

The implications for the introduction of lighter weight NMC batteries for the shortsea ferry market are profound, and are likely to accelerate the introduction of hybrid and full-electric designs into the segment. The Motorship has repeatedly focused on the transformative implications of new battery chemistries for the expansion of battery-hybrid and full-electric installations within the short-sea market.

The wider implications of the introduction of lighter weight NMC batteries into more weight sensitive segments of the market remains to be seen. The first installations of hybrid systems on PCTCs have entered service, but questions remain about the business case for installing larger batteries alongside 2-stroke engines. 

However, the transformative effects of an acceleration of electrification in the maritime market will also be seen in the ship recycling sector, as the high value of battery materials is likely to impact end-of-life considerations. At present, the largest proportion of the value of material recovered from ship recycling is steel scrap, as we note in a feature on the consultation on the reforms to the EU Ship Recycling Regulations today. 

The scarcity of some battery materials – global cobalt supply is highly concentrated – means that the European shipping sector can expect to be drawn into critical raw materials regulations, following the precedent of the European car sector earlier this summer. For readers interested in the underlying structure of the cobalt market, the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey is an interesting place to start.