EST-Floattech bags battery system order for two London ferries

Dutch energy storage system provider EST-Floattech has signed a contract with Wight Shipyard to provide its Octopus Series battery systems for two London ferries.

As disclosed, the company will install its battery systems on two vessels, Mars Clipper and Cross River Ferry, for Thames Clippers.

Mars Clipper is a high-speed passenger catamaran ferry. This ferry, part of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, will have 480 kWh of high-energy batteries on board.

The vessel has a hybrid design, which allows it to operate solely on batteries on the Thames, in the most central zone of the city. This is between the Tower Bridge and the Battersea Power Station piers.

The technology is not reliant on shore-based charging, with the new boats using excess power from the biofuel engines to recharge their batteries for the Central London stretch.

Additionally, Cross River Ferry will be supplied with 960 kWh of the Octopus Series battery system.

Thames Clippers have been operating a cross-river ferry service for over 20 years.  The current infrastructure is reaching the end of life and creates an opportunity to develop and operate an enhanced all-electric, zero-emission, roll-on/roll-off ferry replacement.

According to the company, this will allow automated docking to reduce journey times and an increased capacity on the craft for foot and cycle passengers.

Thanks to the Octopus Series battery system, the vessel will sail quietly over the Thames and will be some of the most quiet vessels ever seen in the passenger boat industry, EST-Floattech noted. Both energy storage solutions from EST-Floattech will not only limit emissions but also limit exhaust fumes during the routes of these commuter services in London.

“This collaboration with Wight Shipyard is another milestone towards zero-emission sailing for the maritime industry. The application of our battery system onboard the Cross River Ferry and “Mars Clipper” also shows the potential of the Octopus Series energy storage solution in low-weight vessels and contributes to no fumes in densely populated areas. We would like to thank all parties involved: of course Wight Shipyard for their trust in EST-Floattech, but also like to mention electrical consultancy company SEC-Marine for their involvement and pleasant cooperation. The result of these joint efforts is a ship we can all be proud of. We are confident that the ship will be a valuable addition and will have many successful voyages,” Jelle Meindertsma, Sales Manager at EST-Floattech, stated.

The Zero Emission Cross River Ferry is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 3 (CMDC3), which was announced in September 2022, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. As part of the CMDC3, the Department allocated £60 million ($76 million) to nineteen flagship projects supported by 92 UK organizations.

To remind, EST-Floattech recently won a deal to supply its battery systems for UK’s first commercial electric workboat, a project also funded by CMDC.