Leclanché Launches New Emission-Cutting Marine Battery System

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday May 16, 2017

Switzerland's Leclanché SA (Leclanché) Monday announced the launch of its Marine Rack System (MRS), a modular, lithium-ion battery system, which the company says reduces vessel emissions and operating costs.

"There is a huge opportunity for marine vessels across the world to reduce their harmful emissions and cut their operating costs by leveraging battery storage technology," said Anil Srivastava, CEO of Leclanché.

Leclanché notes that MRS is the first marine battery system of its type to be approved by DNV GL under revised rules issued in October 2015, which required the MRS to pass close to 20 separate tests.

"Type approval is an important catalyst to our market growth as it significantly simplifies the certification process of each vessel that uses the Leclanché MRS," said Antti Väyrynen, Vice President of E-Transportation at Leclanché.

Leclanché says the MRS will be used on the E-ferry in Denmark, which is said to be the world's largest, 100 percent electric ferry by battery capacity - equipped with a 4.3 MWh Leclanché lithium-ion battery.

"The emission-free, passenger and car ferry will be able to sail a record 60 nautical miles (110 km) on a single charge," explains Leclanché.

The E-ferry is set to be launched later this year, slated to sail between the Aeroe (Ærø) and Denmark's mainland.

Last year, Leclanché announced that BB Green, the world's first electric-propulsion air-supported vessel (ASV) - also noted to be the world's fastest electric-powered ferry - had been launched at Latitude Yachts in Riga, Latvia.