Second hybrid electric ferry christened in the Port of Hamburg

November 27, 2024, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

HADAG, an operator of public transport ferries in Hamburg, has put its second of three eco-friendly hybrid passenger ferry into operation.

The 33-meter-long ferry has a capacity for up to 250 passengers and will be used on HADAG’s routes in the Port of Hamburg and on the Elbe.

Its name “Finkenwerder” derives from the name of a Hamburg city district.

As informed, the ferry’s paintwork was developed by COSCO SHIPPING Europe, part of China’s COSCO SHIPPING Lines. COSCO and HADAG have reportedly entered into an advertising partnership for a period of at least three years.

The silhouette of Hamburg and its port can be seen on one side, while COSCO SHIPPING’s mascot Captain Panda welcomes the passengers by waving the Hamburg flag. On the other side, Hamburg’s role as a ‘gateway to the world’ is emphasized by connections on a world map, while Captain Panda holds a green leaf to underline the shared mission for a green and sustainable future.

“COSCO SHIPPING’s container ships have been an integral part of Hamburg’s cityscape for more than 40 years. Together we connect countries, people and cultures. In 1989, we opened our first office outside China in Hamburg as our new home in Europe. With the design of the new HADAG hybrid ferry, we are expressing our long-standing and close ties with Hamburg and supporting the city on its way to becoming a green metropolis,” Fu Xiangyang, Chairman COSCO SHIPPING (Europe) GmbH, said during the official christening ceremony on November 26, 2024.

Watch the video from the christening ceremony

Launched in July 2024, Finkenwerder is the second hybrid ferry build for HADAG by German shipyard Schiffbau- u. Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde mbH (SET). It is part of HADAG’s efforts to make public transport in Hamburg more environmentally friendly and efficient.

All three vessels feature serial hybrid propulsion systems, including drivetrains designed and manufactured by Danfoss’ Editron division. The drivetrain incorporates shore connection, battery storage, and propulsion and AC network feeding power modules.

The vessels will also be capable of integrating hydrogen fuel cell technology, allowing for zero-emission operation in the future.

The first unit from the batch was launched at SET in Tangermünde in March 2024. In late September 2024, SET launched the third and final plug-in hybrid ferry for HADAG.

In related news, COSCO Shipping Europe said last week it delivered new container gantry cranes for the Port of Hamburg’s Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB). The cranes arrived in the port on board the vessel Zhen Hua 27 on November 20, 2024. Said to be “among the most advanced in the world”, the new cranes are capable of handling ships of up to 24,000 TEU. Each crane is 80 meters high with booms that also span 80 meters, allowing them to cover 26 rows of containers. These cranes replace the smaller models previously used at the terminal.

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