Finnish shipping company FinFerries has commissioned the Polish shipyard CRIST SA to build the new ferry. This eco-friendly vessel will improve transport options between Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku archipelago. It will be approximately 90 meters long and 16 meters wide, with a capacity to carry up to 90 cars. The 1.6 km route is scheduled to begin operating in the summer of 2017.
The ferry will be equipped with Siemens' BlueDrive PlusC electric propulsion system. This includes an energy storage system, variable speed drive technology for the propellers, and integrated alarm and monitoring devices. FinFerries will benefit from reduced operating, maintenance, and repair costs, as well as improved control and safety thanks to its energy management and propulsion control systems. The complete electrotechnical solution includes the EcoMain remote monitoring system. Siemens will also supply a Wi-Fi solution to connect with the charging stations installed on land, which are controlled by the ferry's energy management system to ensure automated fast charging.
The ship's energy storage system is charged at each destination along the route via a land connection to the local grid. Due to Finland's severe winter conditions, the ferry will have the option of using an auxiliary diesel engine to support the onboard batteries as additional power when it needs to break through ice during navigation. The ferry then operates as a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Building on the positive experience gained with Ampere, the world's first battery-powered vehicle ferry, Siemens has developed a tailored technical solution for Finland's first zero-emission ferry. Ampere entered service in Norway in May 2015 and has traveled a distance equivalent to more than 1.5 times around the equator. It uses only 150 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per route, and by switching from diesel to battery propulsion, the shipowner, Norled, has reduced fuel costs by 60%. This additional order confirms Siemens' pioneering position in providing environmentally friendly solutions for the shipbuilding industry.
“I am extremely pleased that the long and meticulous selection process has now concluded. We selected CRIST to build the vessel due to their competitive pricing and their ability to deliver a vessel of excellent quality. Siemens will provide the new technology for the ship. It is a company with extensive experience and an excellent reputation, already implementing a similar system for the Norwegian ferry,” commented Mats Rosin, CEO of FinFerries.
“Battery-powered ferries offer a new mode of sustainable, efficient, and reliable maritime transport. As we have already demonstrated, this project will be another milestone in environmentally friendly technologies,” says Juergen Brandes, CEO of Siemens’ Process Industries and Drives Division.
A new milestone towards clean transport: By ordering the country's first battery-powered vehicle ferry, Finnish shipping company FinFerries has opted for environmentally friendly technology. Siemens will supply the complete electrotechnical solution for this ferry. This project showcases part of the 1.6 km Parainen-Nauvo line, where it will begin operating in the summer of 2017.
