Echandia has been chosen to supply energy storage solutions for two new fully electrified vessels for Molslinjen. The two new ferries will operate Alslinjen and Samsølinjen starting in 2024. The battery systems will have a total capacity of around 7 MWh.
The two new ferries are designed by OSK-ShipTech for Molslinjen and will be built by Cemre Shipyard for delivery in 2024. The choice of Echandia’s system was made based on a substantially lower total cost of ownership combined with outstanding safety features and low weight.
Echandia battery systems have a high degree of utilization of installed capacity, which results in an overall system size and weight that few competing systems can match. As an additional advantage, this leads to a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
The total cost of ownership, combined with the products high level of safety and low weight were key factors in selecting Echandia as battery supplier. In addition, choosing a system with longer lifetime makes perfect sense from a sustainability perspective.
Ole Berg-Hansen, Chief Engineer Molslinjen
The maritime world is now developing at a rapid pace towards zero-emission solutions and increasingly large ships can be operated with batteries alone. Molslinjen’s investments in fully electric passenger ferries that are charged with energy from green wind power represent a new paradigm for maritime electrification. This is in line with Echandia’s vision for the future, with electric, autonomous ships that create quiet and clean and safe passenger experiences.
In the past, Echandia have successfully delivered battery systems to the tugboat market and commuter passenger ferries, like the ones in Copenhagen and Kochi, India for example. The contract for the new Molslinjen ferries represents a significant step for Echandia into the market segment for larger RoRo and RoPax ferries.
For Echandia, this is a yet another breakthrough. Molslinjen is showing the way, and we believe that many other operators will follow their example in the future. For us, the deal means a step towards supplying larger passenger ferries where weight, total cost and safety are important aspects.
Fredrik Hellström, CEO Echandia
The new vessels will have a capacity of 600 passengers, and 188 cars and a total length of 116,8 meters. The vessels are prepared for autonomous sailing between ports, with automatic docking and charging at quay. The energy storage of 3,1 MWh and 3,8 MWh respectively will be fully charged in 20-25 minutes.