Gotlandsbolaget selects battery supplier for hydrogen-ready, multi-fuel ropax

Sweden’s Gotlandsbolaget has signed an agreement with compatriot company Echandia to supply a battery system for Gotland Horizon X, a next-generation hybrid hydrogen-ready ropax ordered in mid-February 2025.

The newbuild ferry’s battery system will have a capacity of 780 kWh, supplying efficient hybrid operation through functions such as peak shaving, load levelling, and energy storage and transfer, reducing energy consumption, lowering fuel usage, and cutting emissions during operation.

“Gotland Horizon X builds on a long tradition of combining innovation with continuous fleet development. This led us to search for an energy storage system that is both safe and fully flexible, while also providing a long-lasting lifecycle,” said Gotlandsbolaget head of newbuildings, Jonas Moberg, adding that the company’s ambition is to not only reduce emissions but also to build vessels that can evolve.

130-m Gotland Horizon X is a cornerstone of Gotlandsbolaget’s Horizon X programme, designed to reduce the climate impact of shipping and achieve fossil-free crossings between Gotland and mainland Sweden. The new vessel will be capable of operating at 29 knots, which gives a crossing time of just three hours.

Described as Gotlandsbolaget’s most ambitious ship project to date, the ferry will have capacity for up to 400 cars and 1,500 passengers. It will be driven by gas turbines that can use fossil-free fuels, in both gaseous and liquid forms. 

In early February, Australian shipbuilder Austal hosted a plate cutting ceremony for Gotland Horizon X at its Philippine shipyard in Balamban, Cebu, marking the first major step in the vessel’s construction before its delivery in mid-2028.

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