How a swappable battery project could have a significant impact on tanker CII ratings and lead to a new retrofit solution
Foreship, a ship design and engineering company based in Finland, has established itself as a key player in retrofit conversions within the maritime industry.
As a member of the EU Current Direct Consortium project, Foreship has been assigned the crucial task of developing specifications and supporting future requirements for a waterborne system and optimised ship design to demonstrate and commercialise a revolutionary concept: a swappable battery container to power inland vessels.
The ambitious Current Direct project estimates using swappable batteries and an energy-as-a-service platform could potentially reduce water transport emissions in Europe by 482,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents annually.
Foreship lead consultant for newbuilds and decarbonisation Joonatan Haukilehto attended Nor-Shipping 2023 and shed light on this collaborative effort. According to Mr Haukilehto, the ultimate objective is to electrify inland waterway vessels in Europe by using swappable battery containers, which can be easily recharged using electricity from renewable sources.
The proposed mechanism involves exchanging depleted battery containers after cargo operations at designated hubs, ensuring the vessels maintain lower carbon emissions. Although these projects are instrumental in technological development, Mr Haukilehto emphasises the true impact of batteries on achieving zero-emissions shipping lies in achieving scale. The learning curve surrounding the retrofitting process and its viability in various conversions adds another dimension to the equation.
Mr Haukilehto highlights that batteries can be particularly advantageous in the tanker sector, asserting "batteries come in all shapes and sizes." The size of the battery depends on the proportion of propulsion and auxiliary services operating under zero-emissions battery power. If a deepsea tanker operated on a battery-only basis, the battery size would need to be significant.
Battery power can offer substantial benefits in terms of handling peak loads, such as manoeuvring and providing instant power to thrusters. Additionally, batteries can serve as a spinning reserve, providing instant energy to prevent onboard blackouts which can be critical in manoeuvring scenarios.
For tankers of 5,000 gt or above struggling to maintain compliance with the CII ratings A, B, and C – benchmarks likely to be used by charterers – swappable batteries offer an intriguing solution. As this technology continues to advance, it is conceivable swappable battery container energy could power electric cargo pumps in situations where shore power is not yet available.
In ports like those in California, where the mandate to switch off generators in harbours is imminent, or in efforts to reduce carbon emissions during cargo handling, a battery solution could potentially extend the working life of a tanker hovering on the edge of a CII C rating by several years.
Has your company produced an emissions saving device worthy of an award? Nominations are open for the shipping Technology of the Year Award at the Maritime Decarbonisation, Europe: Conference, Awards & Exhibition 2023 being held 26 - 27 September 2023 in Amsterdam
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.