Estonian State Fleet unveils methane- and battery-capable multipurpose vessel

The Estonian State Fleet, the agency responsible for managing state-owned watercrafts, has unveiled the multipurpose vessel Kratt, which can operate on methane and battery-electric propulsion.

IMAGE: Estonian State Fleet’s methane- and battery-capable multipurpose vessel Kratt. Estonian State Fleet

The vessel uses compressed biomethane as its primary fuel and is equipped with a 400-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery system, the agency said.

Kratt can sail up to 1,000 nautical miles on biomethane. On battery power alone, it can operate for up to two hours, while its batteries can supply electricity for up to 10 hours when the vessel is at anchor.

Designed to operate in demanding Baltic Sea conditions, Kratt was developed and built by Estonian shipbuilder Baltic Workboats. Its hull was constructed by Damen Shipyards Gdańsk under subcontract and completed in 2025. The hull was subsequently transported to Estonia, where Baltic Workboats completed the vessel’s outfitting and remaining construction work.

The vessel represents a total investment of €22 million (around $25 million), funded through the European Union’s NextGenerationEU Recovery Fund.

By Tuhin Roy

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