Hybrid Drives News

Swiss marine power company WinGD has received an order for 16 X-DF dual-fuel engines for eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, after a late-stage switch by a major ship owner.The order was received relatively late in the newbuilding planning phase as operational and delivery concerns arose around the engines originally selected, according to WinGD.Despite the timing, close collaboration with engine builder, yard and shipowner – which already uses X-DF engines on several…

The LPMA: Maritime and Aquaculture Professional School of Bastia will on November 15, 2024, inaugurate France's first hydrogen-electric powered fishing training vessel, dubbed Alba, which was designed by a MAURIC-led consortium.Alba vessel has been specifically designed to include fishing training capabilities such as longline and seine techniques.The vessel can accommodate up to 12 students and 2 instructors (crew).With an overall length of 19.95 meters, the maximum length allowed by the LPMA specifications…

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy reports it has secured a contract to build a new 4,200 KWh battery for Spanish ship owner Mureloil. The agreement will see AYK’s Aries + battery supplied on a new 7999 DWT diesel-electric product tanker being built for Mureloil at Astilleros Murueta shipyard near Bilbao.AYK founder Chris Kruger said the vessel will be able to operate on zero emission battery power while entering and exiting port immediately improving air quality and cutting emissions in built up port areas.

An offshore support vessel (OSV) has successfully operated on green hydrogen in the German Wadden Sea.Aiming to minimize its environmental impact, operator Acta Marine, based in the Netherlands, decided to install eCap Marine’s containerized hydrogen-electric energy system on board its vessel Coastal Liberty.At the end of February 2024 the refitted OSV received class certification by DNV for its newly installed hydrogen system on board. eCap Marine, contracted by Offshore Service Gesellschaft mbH…

Korean maritime service company MARCON has secured an approval in principle (AiP) from Korean Register (KR) for its crew transfer vessel (CTV), a passenger and cargo transport vessel dedicated to offshore wind farms.The CTV that received the AiP adopts an eco-friendly hybrid electric propulsion system using batteries.This addresses environmental regulatory issues while also offering fuel cost savings and supporting safer offshore wind farm operations.The key components of the CTV include a hybrid system and energy storage system (ESS) provided by Hanwha Aerospace…

ZF has long offered propulsion products for hybrid and electric marine applications. Now, as the demand for green technology grows across many vessel segments, the company has recently rolled out a pair of new transmissions optimized for hybrid and electric propulsion systems in high-speed vessels like pilot boats, ferries and water taxis.ZF’s 3000 NRD PTI has been unveiled as a space- and weight-saving solution for hybrid propulsion in waterjet vessels, while the 3200 A/V PTI is a new down-angle transmission for hybrid drive systems.Based on the popular ZF 3000 series…

Technology group Wärtsilä, in partnership with Chevron Shipping Company, plans to convert one engine on six of Chevron Transport Corporation LNG Carriers from dual-fuel (DF) to spark gas (SG) operation to reduce methane emissions.The conversions are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by lowering methane slip in support of Chevron Shipping’s broader efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations.The ‘marine industry first’ was made possible after two years of…

RV Resilience, a new hybrid research vessel designed by Incat Crowther and built by Snow & Company in Seattle, has been delivered to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).RV Resilience is the Department of Energy’s first hybrid electric-diesel research vessel. The 15-meter aluminum catamaran will help PNNL sustainably expand its research activities in the Sequim Bay region of Washington state.RV Resilience’s 28 m2 main deck is equipped with an A-Frame, boom crane and movable davit in addition to a foldable swim platform.

WE Tech Solutions informs it has received an order from Sirius Shipping for a hybrid electric system for their new chemical tankers. For this order, WE Tech Solutions will provide the Solution Four for the tanker pair. This solution is based on a battery hybrid shaft generator solution. The solution makes it possible to run the main motor at variable speed, and the propulsion machinery can be operated at optimal duty points at all vessel speeds. The electrical network is also generated by the shaft generator. Therefore, there is no need to run auxiliary engines and generators when sailing.

MAN PrimeServ – the after-sales brand of MAN Energy Solutions – will offer a retrofit package for the conversion of existing conventional MAN four-stroke engines to dual-fuel methanol operation starting in 2025. Customers will initially be able to convert existing MAN 48/60 engines to the latest MAN 51/60DF engine type with methanol capability.According to MAN Energy Solutions, the conversion package has been under development for some time and has been tested at its Augsburg, Germany plant since summer 2024.

Washington State Ferries (WSF) has tapped ABB to design and supply the propulsion systems for its new series of five hybrid electric ferries. ABB was previously selected for the project in 2020 after the original build contract was awarded to Vigor, but the competitive bid process was relaunched following disagreements between WSF and the shipyard over price and other contract terms.In May of this year, WSF invited shipyards across the country to bid on construction for the five new ferries.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has unveiled new engine, Damen D16, combined with the in-house marine emission reduction system, which has recently been awarded EU stage V certification.The Damen D16 is a marine engine and aftertreatment system designed and developed inhouse by Damen Sustainable Solutions. It aims to reduce emissions and increase power efficiency supporting Damen’s goal of becoming the most sustainable maritime solutions provider in the world.The Damen D16 is an extension…

Angel Island Tiburon Ferry (AITF), in California, has tapped New-Zealand-based EV Maritime to design a plug-in hybrid electric vessel for its fleet in the San Francisco Bay Area. The project, which will also see the electrification of two existing AITF vessels, has been funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The hybrid ferry will be designed and engineered by EV Maritime with electrical integration provided by ZeroMar, a local company in the Bay Area.“This new vessel will be plug-in hybrid…

On July 11, 2024, Dutch students from the TU Delft Hydro Motion Team arrived in Ramsgate with their self-built hydrogen boat, becoming the first to cross from the Netherlands to England with a fully hydrogen-powered vessel, making the nearly 169-km journey across the North Sea on a single tank.Read more about the future of Hydrogen in the maritime space in our inteview with Roy Campe, CTO, CMB.TECH in the January 2024 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.The teams first attempt to make the crossing on July 9…

Stena RoRo announced it has ordered another two E-Flexer RoPax vessels from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai), for delivery in 2027.This is Stena RoRo's fourteenth and fifteenth vessel in the E-Flexer series.The two vessels will enter service under long-term charter to Greek shipping company Attica Group for operations in the Adriatic Sea. Attica Group has an option to purchase the newbuilds and also a potential option for two more vessels.The E-Flexer series is based on a concept with larger vessels than today's standard RoPax ferries and is very flexible.

Golden Gate Ferry will build a fleet of eight new hybrid vessels to improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions from its San Francisco Bay Area commuter ferry service.Electrical contracting company McKay on Monday announced it has been appointed by naval architecture firm Aurora Marine Design to serve as the electrical systems integrator for the Liwa Class newbuild program, which will commence in early 2025 to retire and replace Golden Gate Ferry’s existing fleet of with a series of eight new 50.5-meter-long…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to design and a equip a 10th hybrid chemical tanker for Danish operator Tärntank.The new Tärntank vessels will reduce carbon emissions using a combination of clean technologies.The wind-assist technology will be installed on the latest four vessels ordered, and this feature alone is expected to reduce emissions by up to 19%. The new vessels will have an Energy Efficiency Design Index close to 40% below the 2025 Phase 3 requirements.The 15…

Berg Propulsion has won a contract to deliver the hybrid propulsion solution for three wind-assisted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) Ro-Ro vessels.Following delivery by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding from 2026 onwards, the innovative vessels will carry Airbus A320 Family jetliner subassemblies from France to the final assembly line in the United States.The ships have been designed by Deltamarin with the aim of halving fuel burn and CO2 emissions in transatlantic operations by 2030…

As emission reduction mandates sweep through maritime and hybrid solutions become the norm rather than the exception, special consideration must be paid to the drive train. Bob Lennon, with more than 40 years of maritime drivetrain experience, shares insight from Regal Rexnord on special areas to consider to ensure a long, efficient life of the propulsion machinery, cradle to grave.

Technology group Wärtsilä has secured a deal to supply engines, fuel gas supply system and thrusters for two new Ropax ferries being built for French operator La Méridionale, a subsidiary of CMA CGM.The vessels, which have been specifically designed to minimize emissions, are to be built at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), and will operate between Marseille and Corsica.For each ship, Wärtsilä will supply two 12-cylinder, one 10-cylinder and one 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 31DF engines.The two ferries will benefit from Wärtsilä’s NextDF technology…

Power transmission technology company Twin Disc on Friday announced it has finalized its acquisition of Katsa Oy, a Finland-based, designer and manufacturer of gearboxes and power transmission components, completing a €21 million (approximately $23 million) all-cash deal that was first announced in March.“We are excited to welcome Katsa to the Twin Disc family of brands,” stated John H. Batten, President and CEO of Twin Disc. “Acquiring a well-established company with longstanding…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and its company MOL Drybulk have announced plans to install wind propulsion systems, including Wind Challenger, on a total of seven newbuilding bulk carriers and multi-purpose vessels.The vessels will be operated by MOL Drybulk. With the latest commitment, MOL Group will have a total of nine Wind Challenger-equipped vessels, bringing the total number of vessels equipped with wind propulsion systems to 11.Among the seven vessels to be equipped with wind propulsion systems…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Electric Power Development (J-Power) have agreed to install the Wind Challenger hard sail propulsion system, which converts wind energy to propulsive force, on the coal carrier Kurotakisan Maru.The installation of the Wind Challenger sail, which transports steaming coal to J-Power's power stations, is schedule for the second half of 2025.This marks the first installation of the Wind Challenger on a vessel currently in service by retrofitting, according to MOL.The Wind Challenger is a device developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding…