[ 130 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE P&O Ferries’ Fusion-class is a big step forward in the company’s ambition to become climate neutral by 2050. However, to achieve this goal it is paramount that ports follow suit with adapted infrastructure in the form of high-voltage rapid charging stations. As high-voltage rapid charging stations are still lacking at the ports of Dover and Calais, P&O Ferries has cleverly opted for a hybrid solution, combining dieselelectric propulsion with an 8.8MWh Energy Storage System. Energy saving and proper energy management are at the core of the Ship of the Future, yet the vessels also excel in terms of safety and redundancy, showing the way ahead in ro-pax ferry design. The Ship of the Future or Fusion-class of hybrid double-ended ferries designed for the 90-minute Dover–Calais service represents one of Guangzhou Shipyard International’s (GSI) most prestigious newbuilding projects so far. With a length of 230.5m and 30.8m beam, P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté are the world’s largest double-enders. Outboard of the B/5 bulkhead on Deck 2, the ships have four battery rooms with a total of 1,160 batteries that are charged by peak shaving. The main propulsion comes from four very compact Wärtsilä 16V31 gensets but in normal sailing mode, only three of the four are in operation, further reducing the fuel consumption and emissions footprint. Even so, the vessels are futureproofed for full-electric operation, provided rapid charging stations are available in the ports they serve. First initiated in 2017, many solutions and propulsion systems were considered when the Ship of the Future was still in a conceptual design stage. The double-ender design emerged as the best by far as it guarantees the lowest fuel consumption, and hence emissions footprint, on the back of eliminating the off-the-berth swinging manoeuvres in port, thus reducing the top speed requirement from 21.5 to 17.6 knots. Combining a doubleender design with an 8.8MWh battery pack as well as an array of energy-saving technologies — including a heat recovery system, LED lighting throughout, an innovative software system that turns off the lighting and ventilation in non-used areas, etc. — guarantees a reduction in fuel consumption of about 40 per cent when benchmarked against P&O Ferries’ 2011–12-built Spirit-class which have a similar payload. “ The double-ender design came out as the best solution by far as it guaranteed the lowest fuel consumption, and hence emissions footprint, on the back of eliminating the offthe-berth swinging manoeuvres in port” Kristian Carøe Lind Anders Ørgård SUSTAINABLY BETTER TODAY LED lighting deployed on the upper car deck
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