Scandlines to launch hybrid-electric ferry in Q4
Danish ferry operator Scandlines says the ferry will operate on routes between Germany and Denmark.
PHOTO: Model of Scandlines' zero-emission ferry. Scandlines
The ferry named, PR24 (Puttgarden-Rødby 2024), is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2023 and operational by 2024, the company said.
The PR24 is undergoing construction at Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard and is set to operate on the Fehmarn Belt starting in 2024. It will be equipped with 10 MWh lithium-ion batteries and a diesel engine, allowing it to operate in a fully electric mode or in a hybrid setup.
The Fehmarn Belt is situated in the western part of the Baltic Sea, connecting the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland.
When operated solely on batteries, the ferry is expected to complete the voyage in 70 minutes, resulting in zero emissions. In the hybrid mode, the ferry will take approximately 45 minutes to complete the voyage.
“In the fourth quarter [2023], the ferry will come into contact with water for the first time when the hull is sent from the slipway into the sea,” the company said. “The ship will then be moored at the outfitting quay, where the remaining work will be carried out,” it further added.
The ferry can carry 140 passengers and 66 freight units, it “increases the current capacity to transporting freight units by 23%” on the Puttgarden-Rødby route, Scandlines stated.
The ferry operator is currently installing new ramps to the upper decks of ferry berths at Rødby in Denmark so that the PR24 can move lorries on both upper and lower decks. “At present, a large crane is removing the current 59-meter-long ramp to the upper car deck,” Scandlines said.
“The new ferry will initially charge in Rødby and in the longer run in Puttgarden as well when a good solution has been found for the purchase of green electricity,” the ferry operator further added.
By Aparupa Mazumder
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