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Advanced hybrid technology for passenger ferry M / V ’ Eloise ’
by : ARI MONONEN
Constructed by the Uudenkaupungin Työvene shipyard on the southwestern coast of Finland , M / V ’ Eloise ’ is the latest addition to Västtrafik ’ s fleet of short-range commuter vessels operating in Gothenburg in Sweden . Utilising the latest hybrid technology , the passenger ferry is exceptionally environmentally friendly , with very low CO 2 emissions .
Known as a builder of reliable and durable vessels , the Finnish shipyard in Uusikaupunki was given the challenging task of constructing new kinds of hybrid passenger vessels for short-range commuting , nine years ago .
” In 2013 , we participated in the first bidding competition for building hybrid vessels ,” says deputy director Juha Granqvist from Uudenkaupungin Työvene Oy .
The competition had been arranged by Västtrafik , a company owned by the municipalities around the city of Gothenburg in southern Sweden . Västtrafik eventually decided to have a series of four vessels built .
The final one in the series , M / V Eloise , was ordered in the early spring of 2021 . Construction was started at Uusikaupunki shipyard in May 2021 .
NEWEST VESSEL READY FOR DELIVERY
The first two ships – Älveli and Älfrida – were completed in 2015 . The third one , M / V Elvy , was delivered in 2018 .
For the fourth vessel Eloise , shipbuilding was completed without any problems and even ahead of schedule .
” In April 2022 , the new vessel was practically ready for delivery . And in May after the final tests , the vessel moved to Gothenburg where she will operate as a passenger ferry on Göta river ,” Granqvist explains .
The new vessel has a length of 33 metres and maximum speed of 11 knots . The ship can carry 298 passengers and 80 bicycles . She will be typically operated on short trips of only 5 to 10 minutes .
LONGER STRETCHES OF ELECTRICAL CRUISING
According to Mr . Granqvist , the hybrid technology that has been utilised in the construction of the four Västtrafik ’ s vessels has been optimised ship by ship .
” Right from the start , Västtrafik wanted hybrid technology for the ships . For M / V Eloise , even more advanced hybrid solutions were called for ,” says Granqvist .
” In this case , we installed lighter but more efficent electric thrust motors and generators , delivered by Mets . The solution was based on permanent-magnet DC motors and the utilisation of larger-sized lithium batteries manufactured by EST Floattech in the Netherlands .”
” All of the four Västtrafik vessels have truly lightweight construction . The hull is made of steel , but thin-layered materials have been used when possible .”
In M / V Eloise , large batteries replace separate ballast constructions that were utilised aboard earlier ships in the series .
The new vessel can be operated electrically for longer periods of time than the three previous ships .
” In principle , similar solutions could be applied for the construction of even larger low-emission ships . Such technologies will undoubtedly be very much in demand in the near future ,” Granqvist expects . n
More information : tyovene . com
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