Baltic Workboats converts ferry to hybrid

During the reconstruction, a battery bank will be installed to reduce the consumption of diesel fuel and resulting exhaust gas by replacing fossil fuel with electricity.

According to Jaak Kaabel, chairman of the board of TS Laevad, the project expects TS Laevad to replace about a fifth of the diesel fuel consumption with electricity. “We believe that on shorter ferry routes the environmentally-friendly power ships are the future of ferry traffic, both in Estonia and elsewhere, especially considering the global climate targets for reducing CO2 emissions. If the project is successful, the technology will be deployed on all four new ships,” he said.

The construction works will be carried out by the main contractor Baltic Workboats. Corvus Energy will supply the battery banks and the automation equipment is supplied by Norwegian Electric Systems. The peak-shaving hybrid solution is designed by LMG Marin and the total cost of the investment is €1.6 million.

Work will begin in mid-October and the ferry, operates on the Virtsu-Kuivastu line, will be out of commission for up to two weeks for the final transfer to battery power. Completion is expected by the end of February 2020.