EMEA News
Rolls-Royce to Power Battery Only "Ferry of the Future"
The world's first electric ferry will use a Rolls-Royce Plc propulsion and control system, the power systems company says.
Norwegian transport company Norled will operate what it calls the "ferry of the future" between Lavik and Oppedal.
Rolls-Royce said its Azipull propulsion and control system, which uses pulling propellers instead of conventional azimuth thrusters, will help make the ferry 15 to 20 percent more efficient than existing vessels.
The vessel is currently being built at the Fjellstrand yard in Norway, and is due to enter operations in 2015.
"The combination of good manoeuvrability and reduced energy consumption provides a highly efficient ferry for Norled, with significantly reduced operating costs and improved environmental performance," said Neil Gilliver, President of Rolls-Royce's Merchant sector.
"This contract also marks the tenth anniversary of the delivery of our very first Azipull thrusters, which was also to Fjellstrand shipyard."
The vessel, developed as part of a contest run by Norway's Ministry of Transportation, will be able to carry 120 cars and 360 passengers, and will charge its lithium-ion batteries while loading and unloading cars or while moored along the quay overnight.
Norway, already a leader in liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessels, is increasingly focused on battery technology for ships, with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) recently saying the nation is poised to lead the world's development of hybrid and battery-powered ships.
