Initiatives and projects to electrify maritime transport — for both freight and passengers — are multiplying. For now, however, batteries are only sufficient to cover short routes, or to assist with docking operations.
The trend towards the electrification of mobility is not limited to road transport. Maritime transport is also betting on electricity, thanks in part to substantial private and public investment. Whether for freight or passengers, projects and initiatives are multiplying to make the sector more sustainable, launch new electric ships and consequently reduce the emissions of an industry that alone accounts for 2.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Recent news emerged that the European Investment Bank (EIB), together with the Dutch bank ING, has decided to invest a total of 300 million euros in support of projects with a "green innovation element" in the European maritime sector. "I think it is no secret that the maritime sector contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions," said Werner Hoyer, president of the EIB. "Acting on climate is one of the European Bank's highest priorities, and this type of financing should be seen as an incentive for shipowners to do things differently." The funds will be distributed over the next three years to projects aimed at building new ships or upgrading existing ones with the aim of reducing polluting emissions.
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In the meantime, projects are already under way, even if still at the testing or prototype stage. Dutch company Port Liner, which transports goods and containers on inland routes in Belgium and the Netherlands, has built the first 100 per cent electric barges, capable of carrying 200 containers. To date, five barges have been built, with a further six units expected to be added by the end of the year. The project was made possible in part thanks to the European Union, through funding amounting to 7 million euros.
"These are the world's first barges to sail on zero-emission batteries. We could have increased the capacity of the barges to carry more containers, but the low bridges in Belgium and the Netherlands prevented us from doing so," said Ton van Meegen, chief executive of Port Liner. "There are around 7,300 inland vessels across Europe and more than 5,000 of these are owned by entrepreneurs in Belgium and the Netherlands. We can build up to 50 barges a year, but at that rate it will still take many years to run the industry on green energy." Noteworthy is the solution adopted for the batteries, which are charged inside one of the containers carried by the barge: at each leg, the empty ones are unloaded and replaced with charged batteries.
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Elektra, one of the first hybrid ferries in operation in Finland, was born from a collaboration between Finferries and Siemens. It sails between the towns of Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku Archipelago, is fitted with lithium-ion batteries and is capable of covering nine kilometres in 100 per cent electric mode. It can also use diesel to generate electricity, or, when greater power is needed, run exclusively on energy produced by the diesel engine. The batteries recharge in just five minutes.
The Asian giant has naturally not stood idly by. In December, Chinese sources reported the launch of a fully electric ship of considerable size: 70.5 metres long, 13.9 metres wide and 4.5 metres deep, it would have a cargo capacity of 2,000 tonnes. Battery capacity is around 2.4 MWh (the new Leaf has a capacity of 40 kWh).