Holland Shipyards Group delivered Gaarden, a newbuild hybrid ferry to German tow and ferry firm Schlepp-und Fährgesellschaft Kiel (SFK). The vessel will operate as a cycle and footferry within the waters of the Kieler Fjord
Gaarden, measuring 32.4 m by 8.8 m, is equipped with a hybrid drivetrain that can be powered by either generators or a battery bank to provide an emissions-free voyage when it operates within the city centre.
The order for Gaarden was placed in May 2019 and includes an option for an additional three sister vessels. The group has also laid the keel for Düsternbrook, a fully electric ferry also built for SFK and due to be operational at the end of 2020.
The vessel’s design was influenced by Schlepp-und Fährgesellschaft Kiel’s goal of delivering a ‘green’ means of transport in Kiel.
The city of Kiel aims to be CO2 neutral by 2050 and expects shipping to play a major part in this shift as the port is the point of departure for cruises and has ferry connections to the Baltic states and Scandinavia.
With an orderbook containing several variations of electrical ferries, Holland Shipyards Group is seeking to consolidate its dominant position as a high-end ferry builder in western Europe. Battery propulsion is seen as the ferry market’s ideal solution but other renewable resources are being investigated and Holland Shipyards Group is also involved in its first hydrogen project.
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