Emission Impossible Ltd

Geoff Dobson, 7 Feb 2018

Norway’s first all-electric ferry has reportedly cut emissions by 95% and costs by 80% compared to its fossil fuel counterparts.

The results are bringing in customers.

The ferry “Ampere” started in May 2015, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide and mono-nitrogen oxides as well as noise, electrek reports.

The partnership between ferry operator and shipping firm Norled AS, Fjellstrand Shipyard, Siemens AS, and Corvus Energy saw the latter two develop the electric powertrain and 1mWh battery system.

Another called “Elektra” also went into operation.

The ferry results were announced at the Nordic EV summit in Oslo on February 1-2, where Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) transport general manager Liz Yeaman of New Zealand was among the speakers.

A further 53 orders for electric ships have been received by shipbuilder Fjellstrand.

CleanTechnica reports Dutch company Port Liner will be introducing an autonomous electric barge for the European market from August.

Port Liner chief executive officer Ton van Meegen tells The Loadstar shipping industry trade journal that five autonomous electric barges will begin operating between the De Kempen intermodal terminal in the south of the Netherlands and Antwerp starting in August. They have been designed to fit beneath the many bridges there and are expected to remove 23,000 mostly diesel trucks from area roads.

Larger barges which can carry up to 280 containers are expected to enter service between Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Rotterdam later this year.

[Source: TransportTalk.co.nz]