By
Laura Hyde |
Wasaline’s ro-pax ferry Aurora Botnia will feature the largest marine battery hybrid system in operation by 2026 following an agreement between the Finnish ferry operator and technology group Wärtsilä.
The battery capacity onboard Aurora Botnia will be increased by 10.4 megawatt-hour (MWh), going from 2.2MWh to 12.6MWh. Wärtsilä will lead the integration project, as well as delivering the energy management system and upgrading the power drives and the control system integration.
“Wasaline’s commitment to decarbonised shipping operations is central to everything we do,” said Peter Ståhlberg, managing director of Wasaline. “In this, our close cooperation with Wärtsilä is an essential element that benefits not only both our companies, and we can see that our cooperation sets standards for the whole marine sector. Through our continued collaboration, Aurora Botnia has become a working example of what is possible when it comes to delivering environmentally friendly transportation within shipping.”
The ship, which began operations in 2021 and operates between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden, is equipped with dual-fuel engines and batteries, and uses biogas and batteries for propulsion. It also operates with a range of integrated Wärtsilä solutions, including four Wärtsilä 31DF engines. Aurora Botnia acts as a ‘floating test lab’ linked to Wärtsilä’s Sustainable Technology Hub to facilitate further development of hybrid technologies.
“Wasaline once again demonstrates its strong commitment to decarbonisation by extending the electrification capacity of this ferry,” said Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine and executive vice president at Wärtsilä Corporation. “Our latest contribution will optimise the ship’s operations even further, creating fuel savings and a significant reduction in emissions.”