Stena RoRo: New LNG-electric ferry fitted with ‘world’s largest battery’ delivered

October 25, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

Swedish shipping company Stena RoRo has taken delivery of a new E-Flexer roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) ferry, which is powered by a multi-fuel engine and a battery package, from Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai).

The delivery follows the extensive sea trials that the vessel Saint Malo conducted in September this year.

Saint Malo is the eleventh in a series of 15 new E-Flexers delivered to the company and it will be chartered to French shipping company Brittany Ferries.

In February next year, the ship will enter the Portsmouth – Saint-Malo route, where the ferry will replace the Bretagne, which has sailed on the route since 1987. This is the fourth of five ordered E-Flexer vessels that will be part of Brittany Ferries’ fleet.

The vessel is now on its way to Europe and is expected to arrive at the home port by the end of the year and enter service on February 12, 2025.

As with four of the five E-Flexer ships that Stena RoRo is delivering to Brittany Ferries, the 194-meter-long ferry will be powered by multi-fuel engines as well as “the market’s largest battery-hybrid package of a whopping 12 MWh”, according to the shipowner.

With the help of these batteries, the ferry will be able to operate in and out of port with batteries only and maneuver during docking and departure without the ship’s diesel engines being in operation, Stena RoRo noted. Saint-Malo is also equipped with a shore connection with an output of 8 MW for high-speed charging of the batteries, to enable “a completely fossil-free stay when in port”.

With the installed battery capacity, the ship will be able to run at speeds of up to 17.5 knots on batteries alone, according to the Norwegian firm.

Furthermore, the engines can be powered by marine diesel (MGO), liquefied natural gas (LNG) or biodiesel and biogas. In addition, the PTI/PTO system with the battery power function can be used for propulsion or maneuvering in port. The system is scalable, which means that in the future the Saint-Malo can operate entirely on batteries or a combination of these different fuels, it was highlighted.

“Within the framework of the E-Flexer concept, there has been continuous technical development, and we can offer our customers very flexible and future-proof propulsion systems that by a margin meet both present and future environmental requirements,” stated Per Westling, CEO Stena RoRo.

“The large battery hybrid system we installed on the Saint-Malo means that the ship can operate optimally, in steps with regulatory developments, or in accordance with the operator’s own policies.”

Saint-Malo will be chartered to Brittany Ferries for ten years, with a purchase option after four years.

The total of five E-Flexers ordered by Brittany Ferries are renewing and modernizing the company’s current fleet of cargo and passenger ships.

The first ferry, the Galicia, was delivered in the autumn of 2020, the second in November 2021, and the third one in December 2023. The delivery of the fifth and final vessel is scheduled for early January next year.

A few days ago, Brittany Ferries announced it received the ‘Green Marine Europe’ label for the fifth year running, at a ceremony held in Brussels.

Created in 2020, the Green Marine Europe label is the result of a collaboration between non-profit organization Surfrider Foundation Europe and certification program Alliance Verte. The French company is one of the scheme’s founding signatories. Green Marine Europe is an independent environmental scheme that demands continuous progress from certified shipping companies.

“Receiving the Green Marine Europe label for the fifth consecutive year reflects our continuous efforts to improve our environmental performance, and encourages us to embark on new challenges. Five years ago, Brittany Ferries was one just six shipping companies to be awarded this label. Today the number of certified shipowners has risen to 25, demonstrating the growing recognition of this programme in the industry,” Vincent Coquen, Brittany Ferries’ head of sustainable development said.