Singapores first hybrid ship

The 15m Penguin Tenaga aluminium pilot boat, classed by Bureau Veritas (BV), is capable of running in electric mode at five knots for more than 30 minutes.

The vessel, built, owned and operated by Singapore-based Penguin Shipyard International, is an important step towards Singapore’s environmentally sustainable future and meeting its own green targets.

“This project is a fantastic step in our industry’s decarbonisation journey and continues to demonstrate the innovative strategy being adopted throughout the Singapore Marine Cluster,” said David Barrow, Marine & Offshore, Vice-President South Asia and Pacific, Bureau Veritas.

Green benefits

The vessel design is based on the same hull form as two of Penguin’s existing monohull pilot boats that are currently operating for Shell Eastern Petroleum in Singapore.

Penguin Tenaga is classed under BV with the notation Electric Hybrid and Zero Emission (ZE) mode.

This means that the systems operate safely and efficiently, as well as reduces fuel consumption, local air emissions and noise.

In addition, solar panels installed on the vessel provide electrical energy that is used to recharge mobile devices on board and supplement the vessel’s ‘hotel load’.

Singapore has pledged to reduce greenhouse emissions by 36% by 2030, when compared to 2005 levels.

In a bid to do this it’s taking a lead in developing hybrid-electric propulsion technology for offshore support and harbour vessels.

Currently, there are limited applications for pure electric vessels in Singapore due to the lack of charging infrastructure.

However, this could change in coming years as the country electrifies its maritime eco-system to meet the IMO sustainability targets as well as its own sustainability goals.