World’s Largest Hybrid RoPax Ferries to Use Wärtsilä Power Systems
Three new RoPax ferries being designed and built in China will be outfitted with the latest advancements in hybrid propulsion systems supplied by Wärtsilä. The vessels which are being built for Stena RoRo, Europe´s largest ferry company, and to be operated under charter by Brittany Ferries, will be outfitted with the latest hybrid propulsion and two of them will become the marine industry’s largest hybrid vessels to date.
The vessels will be equipped with the latest generation Leclanché energy storage system – the Navius MRS-3 – which has both a size and weight advantage versus comparable marine batteries. The new third-generation battery system was announced yesterday and features significant improvements in battery energy density, modularity, and safety making it according to Leclanché the maritime industry’s most flexible and powerful vessel electrification system ever created with the lowest carbon footprint.
According to Wärtsilä, two of the vessels will each have a battery capacity of 11.5 MWh, which is approximately double that typically being used currently for hybrid propulsion. Describing the advantages for the vessels, Brittany recently said the hybrid vessels will have a large battery hybrid power system for propulsion and maneuvering in port and an electric shore connection that will allow charging in port, when infrastructure allows. As well as significantly cutting emissions, they said the hybrid propulsion promises less noise and a smoother ride for passengers.
