EMEA News
Danish E-ferry Extends Reach but Faces Obstacles
The electric powered Ellen ferry from Danish manufactuer Danfoss has been growing its reputation since its launch in 2019.
The ferry carries more battery power than other e-ferry prototypes and has a distinctive, energy-efficient design.
In 2022, the Ellen ferry set the record for long distance travel covering 50 nautical miles on one charge, according to the European Union political magazine the Parliament. And in December, the port of Hamburg said that it had ordered three hybrid plug-in ferries using the same propulsion system and shore connection used for Ellen.
However, the lack of suitable infrastucture for electric vessels in European ports makes it less attractive to industry players. Shore power is beginning to make its presence felt but it is still absent from many European ports.
In addition, the framing of the FuelEU Maritime directive around lower emissions for deepsea shipping (ships over 5,000 gross tonnes) does little to encourage investment. Without emissions targets, there is less incentive to invest in low emission, short-haul ferries, according to the report.
Electric power can have an auxiliary role for deepsea shipping but because of the distances travelled, low-emission fuels are a better solution. For short trips between fixed points, which describes the typical ferry journey, electrification makes more sense.
Ellen currently links the island of Ærø to the Danish mainland.
