Developments in the electrification of marine service-providing craft and smaller, coastal, ships continues around the world. Electrification means that the maritime industries will become even-more environmentally friendly.
Electric and LNG-powered hybrid tug
Most recently, a world-first hybrid battery/liquefied natural gas-powered tug has now been ordered by Jurong Marine services from the Sembcorp Marine shipyard.
Due for delivery by the end of 2020, the tug features ABB’s electric propulsion and power distribution systems.
In a very-technical paper, ABB notes that harbour / terminal tugs are “excellent candidates” for cost, pollutant and fuel consumption reduction because their traditional diesel engines are really only completely engaged during full bollard pull. That takes place only about 7% of the time and the main engines are normally in idling mode, ABB says.
The new tug will use ABB’s “Onboard DDC Grid”, the first example of which was delivered in March 2013. According to ABB, the system provides the ability to integrate different energy sources such as variable speed generator sets, batteries and fuel cells.
ABB notes that gas-fuelled engines have a “particular challenge” in handling the changing load capabilities from tugs. The Onboard DDC Grid will, however, enable the tugs to run a variable speeds.
The new tug will be able to deploy 904kWh of battery power for zero-emissions operations. Meanwhile, when running on liquefied natural gas combustion, it will produces far less hydrocarbon emissions along with almost-none-to-negligible sulphur oxide emissions, negligible amounts of particulate matter and mercury.
Fully-electric, fully autonomous
Jump now to the other side of the world, to Norway, and a truly remarkable vessel is entering into the final stages of its creation. The hull of the Yara Birkeland was launched in Romania in February 2020. It is expected to arrive at a Norwegian Shipyard in a few weeks where it will be fitted with various control and navigation systems.
Yara Birkeland is “truly remarkable” because it will be a fully electric battery-powered ship and, ultimately, a fully-autonomous cargo vessel. That’s a world-first.
Eliminating 40,000 truck journeys a year along with nitrous oxide, sulphur oxide and carbon dioxide emissions, the job of the Yara Birkeland will be to work as a coastal containerised feeder vessel from Yara’s agri-chemical and fertilizer plant to a nearby port. With a length overall of 80 metres, a beam of 15 metres, a cargo capacity of 120 TEU, the Yara Birkeland will have a cruising speed of 6-7 knots and a top speed of 13 knots.
Electric bunker tankers
Meanwhile, e5 Labs announced in late March this year that it would build two fully-electric bunker tankers. Fully-electric would result in no adverse air emissions at all from operations.
Scheduled for completion from March 2022 to March 2023, the ships will be wholly-powered by a large-capacity lithium-ion battery. The ships will also be extensively automated. The company says that automation and various digitized work-tools will reduce the burden of onboard labour for crew members and will improve operating efficiency.
Set up by a Japanese consortium, including Mitsui OSK Lines, e5 Labs announced it would begin researching plans for a wholly-electric near-coast tanker back in August last year.
Auckland’s diesel-electric tug
Meanwhile, in August last year, the Ports of Auckland ordered what was widely claimed to be a world-first all-electric tug from the builder Damen. It has 70-tonnes bollard pull.
Strictly speaking, it’s not an all-electric tug as it will have two 1,000kW diesel-powered generator sets onboard to provide 40 tonnes bollard pull if there is an electrical failure or if the tug has to operate beyond its battery capacity. However, the intention is not to use the generators as the battery system has been designed to meet normal operational needs.
Ports of Auckland’s new electric RSD-E Tug 2513 is a modified version of an existing hybrid tug.
