Allseas turns to Kongsberg Maritime’s hybrid power tech to make its vessels greener

Offshore contractor Allseas has decided to furnish three vessels with Kongsberg Maritime’s battery technology and intends to pursue hybrid power solutions for its other vessels as well, in a bid to future-proof its fleet by making it greener and more efficient.

While explaining that vessel hybridisation was key to Allseas’ strategy to minimise the impact on the environment by optimising efficiency and reducing emissions across its operations, the company revealed on Wednesday that it was equipping pipelay vessels – Solitaire and Audacia – and its multi-purpose vessel Fortitude with hybrid power technology from Kongsberg Maritime.

Allseas says that Solitaire, “one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated pipelay vessels,” will be the first vessel to be fitted with Kongsberg’s PowerAllocatorTM energy storage solution, which allows the engines to run at increased fuel efficiency and enables full flexibility in power system setups. In line with this, energy storage is available for spinning reserve and power peak load smoothing for all main redundancy groups in both open and closed bus operation, as underlined by the offshore contractor.

In addition, Audacia and Fortitude will each be fitted with dual-feed Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Allseas confirms that the new systems will be installed in 2023, adding that hybrid solutions for other vessels in its fleet are under development.

The offshore contractor points out that energy storage technology optimises energy and load-sharing capability, explaining that batteries store energy when demand is low and deliver it back when demand increases, shaving peaks in power demand. Allseas further highlights that this leads to optimal engine loading with improved fuel efficiency and reduced running hours.

Furthermore, the conversion into hybrid vessels underlines the firm’s commitment to reducing its operational footprint by implementing alternative energy sources that drive fuel efficiency and lead to a net-zero future.

Wouter Roelofsen, Allseas Sustainability Co-ordinator, remarked: “We are committed to being one of the first offshore energy contractors to operate vessels in hybrid mode during installation and construction activities. The complex nature of our offshore operations requires state-of-the-art DP3 systems powered by a diesel-electric configuration. Hybrid power will reduce our fuel consumption, which translates to significant emissions and cost savings.”

As Allseas adapts to alternative technologies, hybrid systems are expected to deliver additional flexibility, allowing for green fuels and future power sources such as solar or fuel cells. With built-in shore power connections during the time the vessels are in port, the company expects to realise further emissions reduction when the infrastructure allows.

According to the company, analysis has shown that optimised energy efficiency, hybrid power and shore plug-in have the potential to reduce emissions across the fleet by up to 20 per cent compared with current diesel-electric propulsion.

When it comes to Allseas’ latest activities, it is worth noting that the offshore contractor removed two jackets from the seabed in September 2022 for the Tyra redevelopment project.

Afterwards, the jackets were lifted onto the barge Iron Lady and sailed to M.A.R.S. in Frederikshavn where they arrived a few days later for recycling.