This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2018 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Onboard technologies
Environmentally friendly water treatment solutions provider Enwa marked 20 years in the maritime market this year, serving numerous cruise ships and passenger ferries. The company’s EnwaMatic solution (pictured left) for chilled water/HVAC systems and engine cooling water keeps the system clean without chemicals and is fully automatic. Benefits include corrosion inhibition and bacteria growth control.
Four Crystal River Cruises ships delivered in 2017 and 2018 have power supply and distribution systems supplied by E-MS. The company’s E-PP drive system enables exact regulation of the entire electrical energy input for onboard power supply and drive, allowing for space saving, smoother operation and lower fuel consumption.
Heinen & Hopman will supply the HVAC and refrigeration for the first Damen SeaXplorer, set for delivery in 2019. The 65-metre-long craft will be the world’s first private expedition yacht to comply with new environmental and safety standards in the International Maritime Organization Polar Code’s B category.
Adwatec introduced a new modular battery and energy storage cooling system in June 2018. The system can be equipped with a chiller unit, as well as coolant deionising if required. It can be commissioned in 30 minutes and is practically maintenance-free.
In May 2018, Thordon Bearings celebrated 20 years of water-lubricated shaft installations on cruise ships. The first cruise ships to use the company’s water-lubricated propeller shaft bearings, which reduce oil pollution from vessels, were Princess Cruises’ Grand Princess and Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic. More than 30 cruise ships currently operate the Thordon system with more on order.
Propulsion and fuel solutions
The world’s first fully solar-powered electric car ferry, Sankta Maria, entered service in December 2017, powered by 15 solar panels and EST-Floattech’s Green Orca 1050 Lithium NMC batteries. The fully electric, zero-emission ferry will serve a crossing on the Moselle river between Germany and Luxembourg. The batteries are certified by the German certification agency ZSUK, ensuring that the Green Orca meets the latest German certification requirements.
Plan B Energy Storage (PBES) supplied 1mWh battery systems for two zero-emission, all-electric Fjord1 vessels serving the Anda-Lote route in Norway. Designed by Multi Maritime, the 106-metre-long ferries can carry 120 automobiles and 349 passengers on the eight-minute crossing.
Passenger ferry MS innogy, the first vessel in Germany to be powered by methanol fuel cells, features a fuel cell system manufactured by Danish company SerEnergy. Built for service on the Baldeneysee in Essen, the ship uses methanol generated by a local hydroelectric plant and all energy consumed by the ferry comes from renewable sources.
BMT has worked in collaboration with BAE Systems to design ‘Eco Ferry’, a vessel that will be powered by a hybrid-drive system for more than 60% of the time. BMT’s efficient hull form design for the 31-metre, 149-passenger hybrid catamaran ferry allows for a top speed of 20 knots and silent, vibration-free operations.
Volvo Penta supplied the first ever all-electric air-supported vessel, Swedish electric commuter ferry BB Green, with an IPS pod propulsion system specially configured for an electric driveline. Owner Green City Ferries commissioned the ship to be fast, electronically driven and quiet with zero emissions. Other suppliers to BB Green include Leclanché, with a 200kWh lithium titanate oxide energy storage system, and Echandia Marine with two 280kW permanent magnet electric motors.
Alfa Laval is optimising its entire fuel line to address changes to fuel use in advance of the 2020 global sulphur cap. The company is updating the technologies in its portfolio to improve engine protection and increase energy efficiency, despite more varied and less predictable fuels. As well as introducing improved touchscreen control for the Alfa Laval fuel line, the company will optimise and update key equipment within it prior to the global sulphur cap.
Energy saving automated systems
Almaco’s Galley Energy Management (GEM) system allows cruise shipowners to control the energy usage in the galley areas. Savings of up to 25% of electrical power for cooking equipment can be achieved. The newest generation of this system, the GEM 2.0, features management of the on/off time slots of every piece of equipment and lighting; remote control and monitoring; and automatic power cut-off when not in use.
GAC EnvironHull’s diver- and brush-free HullWiper uses seawater jets to clean ships’ hulls more quickly and efficiently than traditional hull cleaning, using a remotely operated vehicle. In 2017, the company completed its first remote hull cleaning of DFDS Group’s Pearl Seaways, which provides passenger ferry services between Copenhagen, Denmark and Oslo, Norway.
Norwegian Control Systems will supply five complete automation systems, including its Concept Bridge solution, for Fjord1`s new ferries. The company will also provide a large electro-engineering package. The ferries will operate on routes between Hareid-Sulesund and Magerholm-Sykkylven in Norway.
Strategies for cleaner, greener ships
International Zinc Association is bringing corrosion prevention technology from the offshore wind energy sector to the maritime market. Duplex coating systems of zinc thermal spray plus a paint topcoat provide decades of maintenance-free longevity, ensuring fewer natural resources are consumed, fewer emissions are output, and less money is spent over the life of a project.
Food waste specialist Winnow is working with Costa Cruises to halve food waste on the cruise line’s ships by 2020, using smart meters attached to food waste bins. The system allows ship operators to accurately record the ways in which food is being wasted.
Veolia provides waste disposal services to cruise and other ships calling in Southampton, UK. Its marine treatment facility near Southampton handles hazardous and non-hazardous marine wastes, with quayside access for two working barges, a dedicated marine vehicle fleet, a fully-permitted hazardous waste transfer station and a specialist oil recovery plant.
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