By
Rebecca Gibson |
Damen Shipyards has delivered Germany’s first all-electric catamaran (E-Kat) ferry to operator AG Reederei Norden-Frisia.
Constructed at Damen’s shipyards in both Poland and the Netherlands, the 150-passenger E-Kat has an aluminium superstructure and twin hulls with a 1.2 metre draft to ensure it is lightweight and able to operate in the shallow waterways between Norddeich and Norderney on the East Frisian Wadden Sea.
The 32-metre vessel is driven by two propellers, each powered by a 600-kilowatt electric motor, and has been designed to complete the 30-minute crossing at speeds of up to 12 knots. The ferry will remain in each port for 28 minutes to disembark and embark passengers.
The E-Kat, which is part of AG Reederei Norden-Frisia’s zero emission strategy, will be carbon neutral when operating and use electricity from onshore solar panels to recharge its batteries.
“The E-Kat is a very special ferry,” said Joschka Böddeling, sales manager at Damen Shipyards. “We are delighted that it has been delivered and look forward to seeing it in operation once the summer season gets underway. It has been built to the highest standards and we have no doubt that it will serve for many years to come.”