EST-Floattech to power Reederei Norden-Frisia’s electric fast ferry

Dutch energy storage systems provider EST-Floattech has been awarded a contract to provide Octopus Series battery system for a new electric fast ferry built for German Ferry operator AG Reederei Norden-Frisia.

AG Reederei Norden-Frisia is taking steps towards achieving its vision of a green future. The company contracted Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards to construct the new electric ferry.

The fleet of Reederei Norden-Frisia will be extended with this 32-meter-long, fully electric catamaran. The E-Cat Ferry can carry up to 150 passengers. With the EST-Floattech high energy Octopus Series battery system, the ferry can reach speeds of up to 16 knots and can charge within half an hour.

EST-Floattech sized the battery system after calculating performance and lifetime data, based on the specified load profile of this vessel. The electrical installation of the vessel will be provided by system integrator Royal van der Leun. The battery system is Lloyd’s Register type approved and the new ferry will sail under Lloyd’s Register classification.

The ferry will operate between Norddeich and the island of Norderney, which required Damen to develop a completely new vessel: the Damen electric fast ferry (EFF) 3209 – known as the E-Cat ferry.

According to the company, a standard vessel was impossible due to the shallow waters in which the ferry must operate. Secondly, the ferry will sail seven times a day, for which the vessel’s draft is limited to a maximum of 1.2 meters.

“It is satisfying to be part of a challenging and innovative project that contributes to a cleaner environment. In this case, an electric ferry that will be sailing in the Wadden Sea, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comes with strict design criteria. Our team worked diligently to ensure that the Octopus Series High Energy Battery System met the requirements. The battery system will ensure that the ferry can sail at the needed speed and charge during stops without CO2 emissions, providing a sustainable and eco-friendly transport solution,” Jelle Meindertsma, Sales Manager at EST-Floattech, said.

“We are very excited about this project, which is a significant step towards Damen’s goal of reducing the environmental footprint of our vessels while maintaining optimal performance with EST-Floattech’s Lithium-Ion cells,” Damen’s officials noted.

Once the hull has been constructed at Damen’s yard in Kozle, it will be transported to Damen Shipyards Gorinchem for outfitting. The vessel is scheduled for delivery to Norden-Frisia in May 2024.