NES battery, control systems for Scandlines’ zero-emission ferry

Turkish Cemre Shipyard has awarded HAV Group subsidiary Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) a contract to supply the battery and control systems, plus act as system integrator for a zero-emission ferry being built for Scandlines.

NES estimates that its total contract value will be close to NOK 100 million ($11.2 million), which is the largest contract ever for NES.

It also represents a breakthrough contract in the highly active Turkish shipbuilding market, according to the company.

“This is the largest contract NES has ever been awarded. It will be a high-tech ferry that on completion will sail the world’s longest zero emission ferry crossing. We look forward to applying our competence and technologies to help Scandlines towards their zero emission ambitions,” Geir Larsen, managing director of NES, commented.

In November 2021, Scandlines entered into a contract with Cemre Shipyard to build a freight ferry, enabling the route between Puttgarden in Germany and Rødby in Denmark to operate emission free.

From bridge to propeller

NES will act as the system integrator for the ferry’s power systems and smart control set-up. This means that NES will be in charge of the complete energy design, electric power and distribution including energy storage system (battery).

“We will manage the complete energy design. The energy storage system is currently the world’s largest for a ferry,” Jan Klokk, vice president sales at NES, explained.

Under the contract, NES will supply the energy storage system pack, DC switchboard, generators and AC switchboards that allow two sailing modes: fully electric and hybrid electric mode (battery and biodiesel for auxiliary engines).

NES will also deliver its Raven integrated navigation system to the vessel, bridge consoles, integrated alarm system (IAS) and a data collection system used to monitor vessel equipment performance. The data can be used in predictive maintenance programmes.

NES, which is a subsidiary of HAV Group ASA, will utilise competence across its three Norwegian facilities – in Bergen (HQ), Egersund and Ålesund – plus its operation in Turkey to design, assemble and test the systems.

NES will supply all the equipment to Cemre Shipyard in Turkey by the end of 2023.

On 19 January this year, NES revealed plans to establish a new subsidiary company and open an office in Istanbul to provide services to Turkish and other shipyards in southern Europe. NES Turkey will provide site management and commissioning support for the project.

Zero-emission ferry

Scandlines’ new freight ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route is expected to commence service in 2024.

The new ferry will have a length of 147.4 metres, breadth of 25.4 metres and design draft of 5.3 metres.

It will have a capacity of 66 freight units and will accommodate 140 passengers. It will be possible to transport lorries on both the upper and lower decks.

With a crossing time of one hour, the ferry is emission free. It can also be operated as a hybrid ferry. As a hybrid ferry, the crossing time is 45 minutes. The ferry will initially exclusively charge in Rødby, Denmark.

Already in 2019, Scandlines invested in a 50 kV / 25 MW power cable to Færgevej in Rødbyhavn. This cable will now be extended to the ferry berths, where a transformer and charging station will be installed. In the longer run, the plan is to also be able to charge in Puttgarden when a good solution has been found for the purchase of green energy.

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