The move towards hybrid

Some of the best in future hybrid design were seen at the recent annual Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards hosted at Electric & Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam.

Launched in 2014, the awards champion the best in technology and innovation in the electric and hybrid marine sector.

Beating off fierce competition from Visedo Marine, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, FSV Group and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Norled won the coveted Electric & Hybrid Propulsion System of the Year award for its Ampere vessel, the world’s first emission-free electric-powered large passenger/car ferry.

The electric car ferry entered into operation on the Lavik to Oppedal crossing on the Norwegian west coast in early 2015. It is driven by two Siemens BlueDrive PlusC electric motors, powered by lithium-ion batteries supplied by Corvus Energy. The zero-emission vessel travels the fjord 34 times per day, taking 20 minutes to make the 6km crossing.

It was ABB Marine’s latest addition to its line of Azipod thrusters that most impressed the judges in the Innovation of the Year category. Azipod D is a gearless propulsion system designed for cruise vessels, icebreakers, ice-going cargo vessels and offshore accommodation ships. It accommodates a wide range of hull shapes and propeller sizes and requires up to 25% less installed power, partly due to the fact that the new hybrid cooling increases the performance of electric motors by up to 45%.

To focus further in on the move towards hybrid, the first international ‘Hybrid Marine Power & Propulsion Conference’ is being held at the RNLI Lifeboat College, Poole, UK from 6 to 8 October 2015.

Shock Mitigation is bringing together an international group of experts, armed with the latest knowledge that will identify the potential of utilising hybrid power and innovative propulsion systems for vessels in the sub IMO / sub 24 metre professional sector.

Break-out sessions will focus on the latest diesel/electric systems for windfarm support vessels, pilot boats, patrol craft, survey vessels, superyacht tenders and unmanned craft.

View online for more information.