Sweden’s SeaFjord develops world’s first e-bunkering vessel

Swedish start-up SeaFjord Energy has developed the world’s first bunker delivery vessel that can supply electricity to other vessels.

PHOTO: Seafjord Energy’s e-bunker ship design. SeaFjord Energy

Electrification is among the options being considered to decarbonise shipping emissions, particularly from smaller ships and those running on fixed routes. The battery-powered fleet reached a milestone in May, with over 1,000 vessels in operation and on order, according to DNV data.

Almost 300 of the ones in operation are car and passenger ferries. Offshore supply ships (91), fishing vessels (64) and other offshore vessels (37) also feature high up on the list. But battery power capacity and range issues remain, and there have been few larger, ocean-going battery-powered ships like container ships (6), crude tankers (6), bulk carriers (8) and oil and chemical tankers (12).

“For large vessels, there is currently only a limited possibility of shore connections in port and an expansion of the infrastructure is both expensive and, in many cases, not possible,” chief operating officer of SeaFjord Energy Elias Magnusson says.

The e-bunker vessel has been developed in collaboration with ship designer FKAB and can be charged from shore connection or a wind farm, it will likely aim to supply car and passenger ferries with electricity.

A normal charge from SeaFjord’s e-bunker will take about 60 minutes and the energy it delivers can help a ferry sail from the south of Sweden to the north of Germany, SeaFjord says.

SeaFjord did not comment on when or where the e-bunker will be deployed.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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