Stena Line’s ro-pax ferry Stena Jutlandica has “exceeded expectations” in terms of operational performance during her first month as a hybrid diesel-electric vessel.
Stena Jutlandica is in the first phase of a three-step project to covert her into a fully electric vessel and thereby enable Stena to become the first Swedish company to operate a zero-emission ferry at berth and at sea. This summer, she was retrofitted with one of Corvus Energy’s lithium ion-based energy storage systems by Stena Teknik and electrical system integrator Callenberg Technology Group.
The crew is now able to switch from auxiliary engines to battery power when operating the ferry’s bow thruster and completing berthing manoeuvres in port. This is expected to save around 500 tons of fuel and 1,500 tons carbon dioxide – equivalent to the total volume of annual emissions from around 600 cars.
“We've been able to significantly reduce our use of the diesel generators and now only need to use one instead of three,” said Johan Stranne, senior chief engineer on Stena Jutlandica. “Another positive effect concerns safety. Having constant access to electricity, we minimise the risk for power outages.”
In the second phase of the project, Stena Teknik and Callenberg Technology Group will connect the battery-powered propulsion system to two of the ferry’s primary engines, which will allow her to operate on electricity for around 10 nautical miles. This step is expected to be completed within three years.
During the third and final phase, all four primary engines will be connected to the batteries, allowing the ferry to operate the 50-nautical-mile route between Gothenburg, Sweden and Fredrikshavn, Denmark solely on electrical power.
“This project is an important part of our focused efforts to find ways of reducing our impact on the environment,” said Erik Lewenhaupt, head of Sustainability at Stena Line. “As both the size and cost of batteries decrease, battery operation is becoming a very attractive alternative to traditional fuel for shipping as it should be possible to completely eliminate emissions in the future.”
If the project is successful, Stena will consider retrofitting other vessels in its fleet with batteries.
| Caption | Stena Jutlandica shoudl eventually be able to operate solely on electric power (Image: Stena Line) |