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A new research and development (R&D) project involving Color Line, Norled, Rolls-Royce and the Norwegian Coastal Administration aims to develop emission-free ferries.

The 'Zero Emission Ferry' project is working to devise a new electrical system that not only provides more efficient power output and stable operations, but is cheaper to run, easier to integrate and has a lower environmental impact.

The initiative has already received a NOK 5.9 million ($716,500) grant from the Research Council of Norway's ENERGIX programme.

Project objectives

The four project partners operate in different maritime environments and will aim to use their combined experience to investigate new ways of combining systems for energy storage, energy management, onboard energy distribution and recharging. The work is already under way.

"Our aim is to gradually reduce the emissions produced by our fleet of car and high-speed passenger ferries, and become the first Norwegian operator with 100 percent zero emissions. We are well under way with electrification on our short ferry routes, but are waiting for technology to become mature enough to be able to cover longer stretches. We are therefore delighted to be able to contribute our experience to this project," explained Lars Jacob Engelsen, Deputy CEO at Norled.

"This project is completely in line with our environmental strategy, in which the electrification of the fleet plays a key role. We want to exploit the energy on board more efficiently, reduce the operating time for our onboard machine park and ensure that we cover a larger proportion of our energy consumption from 'green' onshore power rather than fossil fuels," said Johann Martinussen, Color Line's Superintendent Automation & Control.

Experience

The Norwegian Coastal Administration Shipping Company was one of the first Norwegian shipowners to use batteries on board. Its multifunctional vessel OV Bokfjord is equipped with an environment-friendly hybrid system; a new vessel with an even larger battery pack is under construction, and the organisation has an option for a third such vessel.

"We are proud to be part of this programme, and look forward to collaborating with the other partners. Only a few companies worldwide currently have much experience of shipboard electrification, but the four of us in this consortium are among the most experienced. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has an ambitious environmental strategy. Our newly constructed ships, our future ships and our participation in R&D programmes like this one are key contributions in this environmental strategy," remarked Trond Roren, CEO of the Norwegian Coastal Administration Shipping Company.

Export potential

The marine division of Rolls-Royce is the consortium's technology partner and will be providing both financial support and manpower. The objective is to develop a system that is commercially attractive for shipowners and as environment-friendly as possible.

"The aim is for the entire system or its component parts to be capable of use on both short-haul car ferries and big cruise ferries. Norway is far out in front with regard to green shipping, and we see an international export potential for these kinds of systems," explained Sigurd Ovrebo, General Manager Product Electric and Power at Rolls-Royce - Marine.

Results-oriented

The ENERGIX programme demands practical results in return for its support, and the objective is to follow-up this two-year research programme with three full-scale installations.

Established in 2013, ENERGIX is a 10-year programme under the auspices of the Research Council of Norway. The programme aims to provide new knowledge that promotes the long-term and sustainable conversion of existing energy systems to ones based on more energy-efficient solutions using a higher proportion of renewable energy, that provide greater integration with Europe and meet the need for greater flexibility. The programme covers both stationary energy systems and environment-friendly energy for transport purposes.