Charge Offshore, a leading marine electrification specialist, has completed installation and commissioning of a high-capacity offshore charging system on ‘e-Ginny’, the world’s first diesel-to-electric retrofit crew transfer vessel (CTV).
Supported by funding from the Zero Emissions Vessel and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition, ‘e-Ginny’ CTV was designed to help accelerate the offshore wind industry’s transition to electrification.
The project’s mission is to transform a diesel-powered CTV to run on 100% battery-electric propulsion, offering essential, low-carbon operations and maintenance support for offshore wind farms in the UK. A key pillar was the development of scalable offshore charging solutions that enable electric and hybrid vessels to operate at sea without the need to return shoreside to charge.
A primary technology partner for the e-Ginny project, Charge Offshore is a spinout of leading electrical power design company MJR Power & Automation. The venture combines MJR’s significant experience in electrical marine systems with the expertise of software engineering from Elsys; mechanical engineering from Blackfish Engineering; and low-carbon technological innovation from Tidal Transit.
As the vessel prepares for sea trials in October 2025, Charge Offshore has successfully delivered and installed the connector ‘catcher’ for its Aquarius Eco charging system, designed to deliver emissions-free power from offshore wind generation. The connector deployment system will then be installed on a selected fixed offshore structure in the North Sea, providing safe, fast and reliable charging for e-Ginny during her charter.
Paul Cairns, CEO of Charge Offshore, commented: “Robust offshore charging infrastructure is critical to support the industry as it ramps up the transition to electrification. This landmark e-Ginny project demonstrates that, with the right systems in place, we can finally eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and unlock a new sustainable future for offshore wind operations. We’re proud to be at the forefront of maritime electrification and look forward to working further with Tidal Transit and our key technology partners to help accelerate the industry’s transition towards a new era of decarbonisation.”
The retrofit electric CTV project was part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the Department for Transport. UK SHORE has allocated over £200m since 2022 to develop the technologies necessary to decarbonise the UK maritime sector and capture the economic growth opportunity of the transition. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is the main delivery partner for UK SHORE interventions.
