ABB equipping new hybrid vessels from BC Ferries
ABB is to supply propulsion technology for four new double-ended ferries operated by Canada’s BC Ferries. The new hybrid vessels will contribute to delivering environmentally friendly operations in the Strait of Georgia. For the future, the goal is to shift to fully electric service.
ABB with headquarters in Zurich will supply a complete package of power, propulsion and control technology for four new double-ended ferries operated by the BC Ferries shipping company based in Victoria in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The vessels are scheduled for delivery beginning in 2029 from China Merchants Industry Weihai shipyard, as was reported in a statement.
The vessels will be equipped with ABB’s gearless, steerable Azipod electric propulsion system. Each ship can be equipped to accommodate battery energy storage with an output of 70 megawatt hours. The Onboard DC Grid power distribution system enables efficient energy flow. The hybrid configuration uses biofuel or renewable diesel to power the ferries. The system is designed in such a way that a conversion to fully electric operation is possible. For this, vessels can also be connected to a high-capacity shore charging system rated above 60 megawatts (MW).
“We proudly support BC Ferries’ goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their operations,” commented Rune Braastad, President, ABB’s Marine & Ports division, in the statement. He says the new vessels support its ambitions to transition to all-electric operation and therefore contribute to “British Columbia’s 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the transportation sector by at least 27 percent by 2030, from 2008 levels, in support of a cleaner future for British Columbia”. Nicolas Jimenez, President & CEO of BC Ferries, is confident that the introduction of new ferries under the New Major Vessels program “are a critical part of building a cleaner, quieter, and more reliable ferry system for the future”.
Source: swisstrade
https://swisstrade.com/news