Echandia opens UK hub to meet maritime battery systems demand

Swedish zero-emission energy systems provider Echandia has decided to open a business development hub in Aberdeen to serve the UK market.

The UK market for maritime electrification is growing with increased demand for maritime battery systems. The company is setting up a local presence to meet that demand.

The global market for maritime electrification is entering an intense growth phase. A recent DNV report highlights the growth of batteries from 0,3 percent of current ships in operation, to 3,85 percent for ships in the orderbook 2021. This is driven by political ambitions to reduce shipping emissions to absolute zero by 2050, and the ambition that zero-emission vessels will enter commercial service already by 2025.

The UK hub will be headed by former Caterpillar executive Richard Davidson, a senior maritime and industrial professional.

“I am proud and excited to be joining Echandia and contributing to zero-emission shipping,” Richard Davidson, Business Development Manager, Echandia in the UK, commented.

“Electrification of large vessels is growing fast, and I see great opportunities with our LTO-based systems, that can handle challenging operational profiles and high c-rates, combined with superior safety characteristics. Everyone in the industry is looking for the right technology-fit and Echandia is in the pole-position in this transformation.”

Echandia develops zero-emission energy solutions for maritime and industrial applications. It pioneered heavy-duty LTO battery systems and proprietary, lightweight battery racks and system architecture. The LTO-systems obtained type approval from both Bureau Veritas and DNV.